Maybe it’s the cold weather. Maybe it’s the approach of Valentines Day. Whatever the reason, compatible firms are hooking up at an alarming rate. First, B2B data compiler DiscoverOrg announced it is buying fellow compiler ZoomInfo. The B2B data space is getting crowded as firms like Radius, DemandBase and LeadSpace compete with traditional providers. You may also recall that Dun & Bradstreet was sold to private investors last August.

Advanced tech does have its uses, of course. Asking people about their interests lets marketers avoid wasted spend on future ads – potentially reducing campaign costs by half, according to tests conducted by digital video ad platform ViralGains, MAGNA and IPG Media Lab. In the test, consumers who viewed an ad were then asked if they were interested in the ad content, and then later served different ads based on their answer. The researchers estimate it is possible avoid 59% of media costs with such programs.

Procrastinators of the world can throw a party whenever they get around to it: Google has once more pushed back complete third-party cookie deprecation.  The new target is “early next year.” Reasons for the delay include concerns expressed by U.K. data regulator Information Commissioner’s Office, an ongoing inquiry by the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority, and widespread discontent in the advertising ecosystem.