Adtech And Martech: The New Dynamic Duo

No longer locked in separate silos, adtech and martech are growing increasingly close. There’s much to be said for this convergence–a purposeful union of adtech’s splash with martech’s rapport-based depth.

No longer locked in separate silos, adtech and martech are growing increasingly close. There’s much to be said for this convergence–a purposeful union of adtech’s splash with martech’s rapport-based depth.

Experts said they welcome this emerging industry trend, which will be among the discussions at Adobe Symposium 2017, May 23 to 24 in Sydney. (Click here to view the agenda and register.)

“Consider the merging of adtech and martech a natural marriage,” said Ryan Harrivan, director of marketing for insights exchange platform Cint. “Adtech may be the more creative one in the relationship, but martech is more closely aligned with sales. Adtech and martech are better together.”

The two can better deliver smarter consumer insights through blending primary consumer insights, creativity, and sophisticated ad delivery technology platforms, he told CMO.com.

In step, demand is increasing for platforms that offer a holistic approach to digital strategy. At the same time, traditional, exclusive data management platforms (DMPs) are declining in popularity.

Marketers crave efficiency. If their aims can be met on the back of just one platform, and if they can optimise campaigns through a single dashboard, then mixing two similar technologies makes sense.

Both technologies are very much on the upswing, according to Jenay Sellers, marketing director of asset-management platform Brandfolder. Describing martech as “booming,” Sellers cited the “exponential” number of logos added to the annual “Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic,” presented by Scott Brinker, author of the Chief Marketing Technologist blog.

“I think we’re going to see the same explosion in the field of adtech as well,” Sellers told CMO.com.

In her view, signs show the two technologies will boost understanding of what works in terms of messaging, audience, and channel. Consequently, she said, marketers will be better equipped to reach target markets at their point of need at just the right time.

Real Potential

John Koetsier, mobile marketing expert at consultancy Tune, also agreed that adtech and martech have a bright future together. Unified, they can smoothly engage new customers, he said.

With the right adtech software linked to just one good marketing database, marketers can shape a prospect’s journey before he even shares personal details, such as an email address, Koetsier told CMO.com. Some 50% to 80% of the sales process occurs before a potential customer contacts a company.

“A sophisticated, twofold marketing approach can also re-engage lapsed customers with the right messages based on previous actions,” Koetsier said.

According to Katy Keim, CMO at social media software company Lithium, the overarching benefit of a good tech-stack marriage is total clarity. Ad and marketing analytics can be viewed “within a single pane of glass” that provides an all-round view of the customer, making it possible to link transaction history with behavioral characteristics and social activity.

“This is when the integration gets really powerful,” Keim told CMO.com.

Another benefit of properly synthesised adtech and martech solutions is convenience, i.e., the ability to port data across technology platforms to fill blanks in customer profiles.

“The result is a deeper understanding, influencing everything from how you design your products and services to how you sell them and more,” Keim said.

Linking adtech and martech into a seamless system also makes for more cohesive campaigns and leads to economies of scale.

“By improving the efficiency of the campaigns, businesses can push them out more quickly and do more with less,” Keim explained.

In the end, Brandfolder’s Sellers said, the synergistic adtech-martech combination will yield much greater intimacy. Brands will be able to infiltrate every aspect of a consumer’s day-to-day experience. Granted, they might know what a customer needs before the customer does–a prospect that could be construed as intrusive or even Orwellian. However, everyone may end up adapting and accepting this uptick in scrutiny.

“It’s a trend that I think will be here to stay,” Sellers said.

“Madtech” and more will be discussed during the “Brand and Direct Response Advertising” track at Adobe Sydney Symposium 2017: