Originally published June 25, 2024 by Chris Williams
Marketers are being told to rely on first-party data, but it’s an expensive illusion. The reality? Most of what’s called “first-party” is actually modeled or sourced from second parties. Match rates vary, attributes are filled in with assumptions, and privacy overhead eats into working media dollars. The result is a murky mix of data stitched together with little transparency and mounting costs. Meanwhile, foundational business strategies — built using robust category-level modeling and synthetic population data — are more accurate, scalable, and aligned across functions. It’s time to stop chasing data gimmicks and start building media plans on stronger ground.
