Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting Marc Mathies, the Senior Vice President of Platform Evolution at Vericast, on our Business to Human podcast. During the session, Marc delved into the crucial role of first-party data, the ripple effects of consumer privacy movements, and introduced us to Vericast’s new platform, designed to assist clients in managing their data more efficiently.
Here’s a summary of that conversation. If you prefer, you can listen to the full interview on Apple or Spotify podcast.
Based on Vericast’s in-depth research, we discuss the prevalent challenges marketers face, especially the overwhelming sensation that comes with handling vast amounts of data. Marc sheds light on the importance of collaborating with trusted partners who come with a rich legacy and knowledge, emphasizing that expertise can sometimes be more beneficial than solely leaning on tools to tackle intricate marketing issues.
In this discussion, we explore:
- What the future holds for Ad Tech
- The intricacies of Vericast’s “Platform Evolution”
- Choosing trusted partners over individual tools in marketing strategies
Future developments of Ad Tech
When asked where the world of Ad Tech is headed, Marc emphasizes a lot is changing.
But fear not — he also knows how marketers can prepare.
Recently, there’s been increased focus on consumer privacy and as a result, marketers are losing a lot of information they may have previously relied on. Long gone are the days of cookies, third-party targeting, and programmatic paid media as consumers are increasingly aware and protective of their data. Further, local, state and federal lawmakers are waking up to the degree of risk data can hold and are continuously working to protect the rights of consumers online.
Increased data privacy awareness and limitations have shifted the focus for marketers toward first-party data, taking a look at the direct relationship they have with the consumer.
“Whether it’s direct in the case of opting into a list or signing up for an e-Commerce program or whether it’s semi-anonymous like somebody walking into a store or visiting a website — the relationship established between the brand and the consumer is super valuable and any digital record the brand has, they need to leverage for their marketing in the future,” explains Marc.
“Whether direct or semi-anonymous, the brand-consumer relationship is invaluable. Brands must leverage every digital record for future marketing.” – Marc Mathies
Vericast’s platform evolution
When Vericast set out to transform their company, they knew they wanted to be in the business of platforms.
“We already have lots of technology that exists within our company. We have digital demand side platforms for serving our digital advertising, we have platforms that support our print business, we have platforms where we acquire and store consumer identity information — but this platform evolution was thought to be different,” says Marc.
Marc wanted to transform the way that Vericast thought about its business and how its clients interacted with it. From this, the “platform evolution” was born, its name decided because of its lack of ties to a certain product and its ethereal sound.
So what exactly does it mean?
While running the platform evolution, Marc has identified some of the major challenges marketers are facing today.
The post-pandemic world has become so digital that the amount of consumer data at the hands of marketers is so vast it’s hard to even begin comprehending it. Simultaneously, there’s the aforementioned consumer privacy movement that’s changing the type of data marketers are seeing.
Through the platform evolution, Marc and his team aim to answer the questions: What is our role as marketers in the future? How do we make sense of the changing endless amounts of data?
The role of trusted partners vs. singular tools
With the data dilemma at the forefront of marketers’ minds, many are wondering what investments or efforts they should be putting in to make at least an impact if not a full solution to the issue.
Marc urges marketers to consider the advice given on an earlier episode of Business to Human, where Justin Bartek of Dog Haus says to find a trusted partner as opposed to just using a singular tool themselves.
“I find the smartest people who can solve my problems and I trust those smart people to solve the problem,” Marc says. “Don’t go seeking a tool that’s going to solve your problem, seek a partner that has tools that can solve your problem.”
“Find smart people, not just tools, to solve your problems. Seek partners with the right tools.” – Marc Mathies
This partner should be someone with the expertise and ability to solve the problems you are facing. You can have all the tools in the world at your disposal but if you’re not equipped to fully understand them and how they can benefit you, they won’t be as effective.
Through its platform evolution, Vericast aims to be that trusted partner for other companies by focusing on large-scale media activation, perfecting the tech behind their marketing efforts and identifying those pieces that give their clients a clear line of sight of what they should be doing to make the biggest impact on their business.
Want to learn more about the future of Ad Tech, Vericast’s platform evolution and how to best navigate the biggest marketing challenges today? Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts