Good morning, Marketer, and here we are again.

Does it seem like just yesterday we were preparing to say goodbye and good riddance to 2020? Well here we are about to do the same to 2021 and I wish we were going out on a healthful high note.

But this is not the season to be miserable, so let me say on behalf of the MarTech team that we hope your individual 2021s were fruitful and rewarding — and let’s hold out some positive hopes for 2022. We may as well: As the saying goes, “What way is there but forwards?”

You’ll see stories on MarTech over the holiday season, but this Daily Brief is taking some time off. You’ll receive it again come January. Cheers!

Kim Davis
Editorial Director

Deep changes in the CDP space

With many independent CDPs being acquired, is the stage set for the remaining big players to become vendor-neutral hubs within the marketing stack?

Marketers: Where will you be a year from now?

Three aspects of your career in marketing to think about and maybe change in the New Year.

The importance of CDPs in supporting a first-party data strategy

Digital commerce has undergone a shift. With the decrease in in-person experiences, companies have realized that their digital commerce channels need to support the entire customer experience. Engaging experiences have several key characteristics. They are convenient. They are personalized. And they respect customer data privacy. This calls for a robust, sustainable and secure first-party data strategy. This guide discusses the importance of customer data platforms (CDP) in supporting that strategy. By the end, you should understand why digital commerce today demands an AI powered CDP to succeed.

Learn more.

Shorts

No thank you. “The Future of Work is a 60 Year Career.” What happened to the utopian dream of technology taking over the hard work and letting us put our feet up?