Conway, AR – August 10, 2021 – Acxiom, the customer intelligence company whose data-driven solutions create business growth by enabling better customer experiences, today announced that it will become a closed operator of Unified ID 2.0. Unified ID 2.0 is a new common currency of the open internet that represents an upgrade to existing identity solutions, while putting the consumer in the driver’s seat. Initially developed by The Trade Desk, Unified ID 2.0 is now an open source, industry-wide initiative spanning hundreds of collaborative partners that operate across the open internet.
As a closed operator, Acxiom can use clients’ first-party data to encrypt and generate a Unified ID 2.0 key within its own technology stack before it is sent out into the advertising bid stream. This further empowers secure data exchange between brands and media platforms, while preserving the value exchange of relevant advertising for free content on the open internet.
Acxiom will leverage Unified ID 2.0 as an addressable identifier within its Real Identity™ solutions portfolio, the most comprehensive, global suite of identity solutions in the market. The advantage of working as a closed operator is the fact that, for the first time ever, Acxiom can deliver the Unified ID 2.0 for brands, directly connecting their audiences with the publisher ecosystem, without personally identifiable data leaving Acxiom’s privacy-safe environments. This expedites the connecting of clients’ data, reduces costs and should improve match rates.
Because this closed operator capability is part of the Real Identity portfolio, clients also get the benefit of the full breadth of Acxiom services and solutions. This allows Acxiom to deliver the best possible identity performance to its clients, resulting in better levels of customer recognition and understanding and, therefore, more respectful and relevant marketing.
“Acxiom’s leadership in ethical data use and expertise in data, identity, and data management is the reason our clients trust us to help them navigate identity across an increasingly fragmented marketing and advertising landscape,” said Chad Engelgau, CEO at Acxiom. “We value our partnership with The Trade Desk and our status as a closed operator of Unified ID 2.0. We want to work with partners who share our belief in the value of the direct relationship between brands and people and who are working, like we are, to help brands manage those relationships in a way that is secure and respectful.”
“Acxiom joining the Unified ID 2.0 initiative as a closed operator speaks to the progress we are making, as an industry, to develop new approaches to identity that enhance the decades-long relationship between brands and people,” said Jeff Green, co-founder and CEO, The Trade Desk. “We look forward to working with Acxiom and IPG to build on this progress on our common goal of secure identity that benefits advertisers, publishers and people.”
About Unified ID 2.0
Unified ID 2.0 is a next-generation identity solution that is a soon to be open-source digital framework. With initial development led by The Trade Desk, Unified ID 2.0 is the result of a broad collaboration of publishers, buyers and technology providers across the industry. It serves as an alternative to third-party cookies that aims to improve consumer transparency, privacy and control, while preserving the value exchange of relevant advertising across channels and devices.