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Meltwater, the leading global provider of media, social and consumer intelligence, today announces that it has achieved ISO 27001 certification, a testament to the company's commitment to the highest standards of information security.

ISO 27001 is the internationally recognized standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), ensuring that organizations implement rigorous security controls to protect sensitive data. Meltwater's dedication to achieving this certification underscores its unwavering commitment to safeguarding information entrusted to the company by its customers and partners.

This certification reinforces Meltwater's position as a trusted partner for its customers and underscores its commitment to deliver secure, reliable, and cutting-edge solutions.

Key Benefits for Meltwater Customers:

• Validation of Existing Best-in-Class Security: The ISO 27001 certification serves as an authoritative validation of Meltwater's long-standing commitment to top-tier data security. This recognition assures customers that the exceptional security measures they have always relied on are now globally certified.
• Regulatory Compliance: With ISO 27001 certification, Meltwater ensures compliance with various regulatory requirements, providing users with peace of mind in an ever-changing regulatory landscape.
• Continuous Improvement: The ISO 27001 certification process involves ongoing monitoring and improvement, demonstrating Meltwater's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of security excellence.

"We are thrilled to announce that Meltwater has received the ISO 27001 certification, a significant milestone in our journey to provide unparalleled data security for our customers. This achievement reflects our dedication to maintaining the trust of our customers and partners as we continue to innovate and provide world class solutions that help our customers make better data-driven decisions every day,” said Aditya Jami, CTO of Meltwater.

Meltwater’s ISO certification is the latest development in the company’s commitment to customer-centricity and delivering a world-class product. G2, the world's largest and most trusted software marketplace used by more than 80 million people annually, currently ranks Meltwater as a Top 100 Global Software Company, and #1 in Media Monitoring, PR Analytics and Media and Influencer Targeting.

No surprise, generative AI to reshape the marketing landscape, as content automation takes center stage

Optimove, the first Customer-Led Marketing platform, today released its 2024 Predictions of Marketing Trends. These are based on insights from thousands of marketing experts representing over 1,200 brands and exclusive input from comprehensive surveys in 2023 of more than 2,000 consumers. These insights reveal a transformative landscape for marketers, highlighting the imperative of prioritizing the customer in every aspect of marketing. To see this full list of predictions, go to https://www.optimove.com/blog/2024-marketing-trends-and-predictions.  

In 2024, marketers face an unmistakable challenge: rising above the deluge of messages to deliver hyper-personalized content in real-time, synchronized with a customer's interaction with a brand. The key to capturing and retaining attention lies in relevance, ensuring the right message reaches the right channel at precisely the right moment, enhancing rather than intruding upon the customer experience. 
 
Marketing Predictions 

1. AI-Powered Personalization  

Prediction: The role of AI and machine learning in 2024 will continue to be pivotal for marketers and consumers alike. The emergence of AI and its influence make it our #1 marketing trend for 2024.  

What it means for marketers: Marketers will rely heavily on AI algorithms to meticulously analyze customer data, enabling them to deliver highly personalized, real-time content.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can expect tailored experiences that cater to their preferences and needs, elevating the overall quality of their interactions with brands.  

2. Sustainability and Social Responsibility  

Prediction: In the business landscape of 2024, sustainability and social responsibility will continue to be paramount.  

What it means for marketers: Aligning with these values isn't just a choice; it's a strategic imperative, offering brands a competitive edge.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can look forward to supporting and engaging with brands that prioritize ethical and sustainable practices, aligning their choices with their values.  

3. Video Dominance  

Prediction: The dominance of video content will persist in 2024, reshaping marketing strategies.  

What it means for marketers: Short-form video, live streaming, and interactive video formats will be key to engaging audiences effectively.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can expect a greater influx of dynamic and visually appealing content, enhancing their online experiences.  

4. Data Privacy and Compliance  

Prediction: As data privacy regulations evolve, marketers must navigate a complex landscape.  

What it means for marketers: Chief marketing officers (CMOs) must ensure practices align with stringent data privacy regulations to enable transparent and secure data handling.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can expect more transparent and secure data handling, fostering trust in businesses' data collection and usage practices.  

5. Content Automation  

Prediction: Automation tools and AI will revolutionize content creation and distribution in 2024.  

What it means for marketers: Investing in content automation platforms will be essential for maintaining consistency and efficiency, making it a must for marketers and one of our top marketing trends.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers will experience a seamless flow of content across various channels, ensuring a cohesive brand experience. 

6. Disappearing Content  

Prediction: Ephemeral content will be a powerful tool for marketers in 2024, particularly for time-limited promotions and real-time engagement.  

What it means for marketers: Marketers must adapt to this trend to stay relevant and effectively utilize disappearing content for promotional activities.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can expect to engage with more fleeting content but often more interactive and engaging.  

7. Customer Experience (CX) Elevation  

Prediction: Customer experience will take center stage in 2024, with chief marketing officers (CMOs) investing in technologies and strategies to enhance the end-to-end customer journey.  

What it means for marketers: Focus must be on technologies and strategies to enhance the customer journey, leading to smoother, more personalized, and satisfying interactions with brands.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can anticipate an elevated and more personalized experience across their brand interactions.  

8. Content Diversity  

Prediction: Brands will diversify their content to cater to a global and multicultural audience in 2024.  

What it means for marketers: Adapting strategies to resonate with diverse demographics, including content localization and cultural sensitivity.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can look forward to content that is more inclusive and reflective of their cultural backgrounds, enhancing the relevance of brand messaging.  

9. Data Analytics Skills 

Prediction: Marketers will have more advanced data analytics than ever before to derive actionable insights in 2024. Generative AI will reduce the complexity of silos in marketing to real-time data access. Marketers will derive actionable insights from the increasing volume of data.  

What it means for marketers: The emergence of Generative AI will also facilitate chat-based insight discovery, reducing the complexity of data analysis.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers will have better relevant and timely messages improving their experiences. They will see that sophisticated marketers understand their preferences and needs more deeply.  

10. Profitable Growth vs. Vanity Metrics 

Prediction: In 2024, a shift from vanity metrics to profitability and sustainable growth will reshape marketing priorities.  

What it means for marketers: Focus must be on actions that deliver tangible profits, emphasizing value and long-term sustainability over superficial growth metrics.  

What it means for consumers: Consumers can expect brands to prioritize value, ensuring that their interactions with brands are not just growth-driven but focused on delivering genuine value.  

According to Pini Yakuel, CEO of Optimove, "In 2024, we foresee the rise of generative AI reshaping the marketing landscape. However, the challenge for marketers will be to wield this powerful tool responsibly, ensuring that every interaction builds and reinforces consumer loyalty and trust. Of note will be the deployment of comprehensive content automation to deliver personalized, relevant customer messages at the speed of a consumer's interaction with a brand. The key will be to start marketing with the customer to engage in meaningful conversations. The brands that do this have the opportunity to be trusted by the consumer for life." 

The partnership aims to bring new opportunities in a growing category to brands and advertisers

Nexxen, a global, unified advertising technology platform with deep expertise in video and Connected TV (“CTV”), today announced a partnership between its supply-side platform, Nexxen SSP, and out of home (“OOH”) advertising group Taiv to offer connected TV (“CTV”) OOH opportunities to clients across the advertising ecosystem. The partnership delivers immersive, high impact ad experiences, reaching audiences on the biggest and most prominent screens in sports bars and restaurants across major designated market areas spanning the United States.

Specifically, Taiv’s ad units – strategically positioned alongside premium content, such as live sports – offer an increased level of engagement in high traffic environments. With an average of eight screens per venue and numerous large format displays measuring over 10 feet, this partnership presents an effective new way for advertisers to connect with consumers while they are away from their homes and in more social environments, hitting yet another CTV touchpoint (e.g. out of home). It is one element of Nexxen’s larger CTV OOH offering.

"We’ve always been all in on CTV, and our partnership with Taiv brings broadened reach, increased visibility and enhanced scale to leading brands and advertisers looking to capitalize on CTV OOH formats,” said John Rogers, Vice President, Business Development at Nexxen. “By leveraging Taiv’s extensive network of screens in sports bars and restaurants across the US, our clients have the chance to connect with their audiences in entirely new spaces.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Nexxen on expanding our reach in the CTV OOH advertising space,” said Tony Siconolfi, Chief Revenue Officer at Taiv. “Together, we’re creating a dynamic platform to provide compelling marketing messages alongside premium live sports content, and we can’t wait to see how advertisers take advantage of this offering.”

Confirm, an innovative technology company founded by industry veterans Kirk Simpson and Peter Carrescia, proudly announces the launch of a portable digital identity solution designed to bolster trust and security in online marketplaces.

Using state-of-the-art identity protocols paired with intuitive user experiences, Confirm allows people to create a secure, verified digital ID — a ConfirmID — which they can use to prove their identity online without oversharing personal information.

Confirm was created in response to a rapidly increasing and urgent need for more trust in online interactions, and especially in peer-to-peer buying and selling networks like Facebook Marketplace. According to third-party research¹:

• More than a billion people worldwide buy and sell on Facebook Marketplace each month.
• 1 in 6 people on Marketplace report being victim of a scam, most often through the use of a fraudulent buyer or seller profile.

"Peer-to-peer markets like Facebook Marketplace are a tremendous opportunity for millions or even billions of people," says Confirm co-founder and CEO Kirk Simpson. "By helping people be sure that the stranger they're interacting with is who they say they are, Confirm instantly increases the safety and peace of mind in an online transaction."

With Confirm, people can create a verified digital ConfirmID using government-issued ID like a passport or driver's license. The ConfirmID can then be shared safely with others to establish trust. A person who creates a ConfirmID can use it over and over, anywhere they go online, to establish trust in future interactions, too.

"We're confident that each month Confirm will help millions of people worldwide feel safer and more confident in their online transactions," says Confirm co-founder and head of strategy Peter Carrescia. "And we envision a future where Confirm's verified portable identity as well as other verified authentic data will be available to use in online environments and interactions, ranging from social media to financial services, talent management, and commerce."

In addition to its central identity features, today Confirm offers other features that bring peace of mind to marketplace transactions, including determining the owner of a Facebook account, and establishing payment terms and meeting places for in-person transactions. Confirm is designed to work with any peer-to-peer marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, eBay, and others.

With many decades of tech and startup experience between them, Simpson and Carrescia most recently worked together on Wave Financial, which was acquired by H&R Block in 2019 for $537M.

Bynder, the global leader in Digital Asset Management (DAM), is pleased to announce the appointment of Dominique LeBlond as Chief Product Officer.

Dominique joins from Heineken’s e-commerce platform Beerwulf® where he acted as Chief Product & Technology Officer. Dominique is a highly experienced product leader, with deep knowledge of the digital experience and content ecosystem. He has held senior product roles in internet-based software industries, with an impressive track record in delivering innovative product and technology solutions for Fortune 1000 companies.

With more brands embracing AI technology within their content operations, Dominique will ensure customer needs are at the forefront of Bynder's product roadmap, and will lead Bynder's product organization to develop and support new and innovative features that inspire brands to thrive through exceptional content experiences.

Dominique comments: "I'm excited to be joining such a talented group of people who have built the world's leading pure-play DAM company globally. Bynder is already at the forefront of product developments in this space, especially within AI and content operations, and I'm looking forward to leading the team and unlocking the next phase of innovative solutions for our customers and users."

Bob Hickey, CEO at Bynder, said: “I’m excited to welcome Dominique to our 500-strong team of global Byndies. Our customer’s requirements and deployments are increasingly complex, so Dominique’s deep-rooted knowledge of content workflows and use cases makes him the perfect fit for our world-class management team. Dominique’s experience in taking customer-driven insights and translating these into product capabilities that provide real customer value will shape and improve the customer experience. Dominique will be an exceptional partner to our customers and empower them to deliver exceptional content experiences across their own ecosystems as more brands than ever before use content to gain a strategic advantage.”

Dominique's appointment follows an impressive 12 months of momentum for Bynder, which saw majority investment from Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) in December 2022, celebrated 10 years in business in January 2023 and reported a 185% growth in asset delivery over a six-month period. In addition, the total number of assets on Bynder’s platform grew by more than 100% across a 12-month period, and integrations increased by more than 20%, highlighting content demand across a number of touchpoints.

Global data volumes show increased engagement on X (formerly Twitter) and the world’s continued reliance on search engines as they test new generative AI options

Today Domo unveiled its highly-anticipated 11th edition of Data Never Sleeps. Over the past decade, Domo has tracked the world's data usage, revealing remarkable increases in activity across various online platforms, from Instagram and X to Amazon, Venmo, and many others. The annual Data Never Sleeps infographic offers a big-picture glimpse into the immense volume of data generated on the internet every minute, showcasing how data is constantly evolving and changing as more people interact with digital platforms and services.

“This year’s findings reflect the ever-changing and fast-paced digital landscape, which has only been heightened by the rapid popularity of AI models such as ChatGPT,” said Josh James, founder and CEO, Domo. “Data drives everything we do, from a quick search online or sending an email, to checking the latest headlines on our way to work. Data Never Sleeps, now in its eleventh year, depicts just how much we rely on data and its impact on our daily lives in one of the 525,600 minutes in a year.”

Some key highlights from this year’s "Data Never Sleeps 11.0" report include:

The AI Boom: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making big waves in the digital world. AI-driven platforms such as ChatGPT are reshaping the ways we work, communicate and create, with users submitting 6,944 prompts every minute. However, users haven’t forsaken their search engine habits, as searches on Google total more than 6.3 million every minute (up from 5.9 million a year ago).

Entertainment Dominance: After a dip in engagement last year, X (formerly Twitter) now sees 360,000 posts from users every minute, up from 347,000 in Data Never Sleeps 10.0. Spotify users stream 24,000 hours of music, including 69,444 Taylor Swift songs. Instagram users are sending over 694,000 reels via direct message every sixty seconds. And the world of streaming continues to dominate, as collective viewers watch more than 40 years of streaming content every single minute. As online platforms gain more activity and engagement, the entertainment industry promises to never be the same.

Transactions on a Tear: Digital spending continues its vast expansion. E-commerce giant Amazon sees more than $455,000 in sales every minute and on digital transaction app Venmo, users send $463,768 worth of payments every minute, up 6% year over year. In the food sector, DoorDash diners place orders totaling $122,785, up 60% from last year, reflecting the increased reliance (and potentially, inflation) on food and food delivery services in this digital age.

Cybersecurity Challenges: However, as digital activities intensify, so do cybersecurity threats. Cybercriminals launch 30 DDoS attacks every minute, highlighting the need for robust online security measures to protect individuals and businesses.

Concluded James, “Data weaves the fabric of our digital lives, and our annual Data Never Sleeps report highlights some of the most meaningful data for businesses and consumers alike.”

Accountability Platform is Designed to Standardize Privacy Compliance Reporting, Support Supply Chain Transparency and Integrity, and Empower the Industry With Consistent Data Structures and Reporting Mechanisms for Effective Consumer Privacy Audits

IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standards-setting body, today announced the launch of the Accountability Platform, a technical audit framework designed to help businesses deliver greater transparency in using personal data for addressability.

The platform – which will be open for a 75-day public comment period until February 27, 2024 – is essential in establishing a consistent standard for the data structures and reporting mechanisms companies across the digital advertising supply chain deploy to address consumer privacy preferences.

"Compliance without assessment is a promise unfulfilled. The goal of the Accountability Platform is not only for companies to be able to say they are adhering to the privacy choices of consumers but to be able to prove it through a normalized set of compliance data usable for self-assessment, and third-party assessment," said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. "Without consistent and widely accepted accountability measures in place concerning the disclosure of consumer privacy preferences in digital advertising, there is a risk that organizations may only fulfill their obligations superficially, leaving room for non-compliance or unethical practices."

Katsur continued, "The ability to assess an organization's compliance against consumer privacy laws is a requirement reflected in current US and European privacy laws. Consumers exercise their rights under privacy laws which industry participants pass through signals in the digital advertising supply chain. The Accountability Platform assesses the integrity and consistency of that signal around consumer privacy preferences, playing an essential role in demonstrating greater transparency and respect for individuals' privacy preferences."

Companies that pass and receive data to support personalized advertising can leverage the Accountability Platform to audit that their business partners are honoring consumer-provided consent signals throughout the supply chain. This includes brands and publishers, supply-side and buy-side technology companies, identity resolution technology providers, other third-party data providers, processors, and data collaboration solutions (aka clean rooms).

The Accountability Platform is designed to provide consistent technical audit opportunities to support the industry in audit obligations, investigations, and other checks and balances endeavors. Further, it demonstrates who's involved in data sharing and their conformity to the preferences and restrictions set by users and the digital properties they visit.

This is achieved through common logging practices, pairwise sender/receiver transaction information, randomization of data submission to prevent bad actors from gaming the system to avoid scrutiny, and a standard interface to submit and retrieve records for analysis.

IAB Tech Lab calls for industry-wide adoption of this technical standard to enable true auditability and consistency across the supply chain.