The News Gods delivered three identity resolution items today, Dear Reader. Maybe they got a volume discount. First is Merkle’s announcement of the Merkury (get it?) Identity Resolution Platform, which helps brands and publishers create, enhance and share private identity graphs. Partners include publishing, identity data and adtech firms. Applications include programmatic trading of cookie-free customer IDs. Head explodes.

Just over half of consumers (54%) like to receive personalized messages because they show the consumers are known to the brand, plus they can be time savers. The rest (46%) find it at best unimportant, at worst creepy. Relevance far outstrips personalization when it comes to driving email opens (54% vs. 19%). Takeaway: treat each customer the way they prefer.