Yes, that’s clickbait. But it’s still a real story: tech giants may share location data that would otherwise be private to trace the contacts of coronavirus patients. Whether or not you think this is a good idea, the thing to remember is how easily it can be done.
My best three items today are all about B2B marketing, but I know it’s not your favorite topic, Dear Reader, and at the end of such a rough week I want to share something you’ll like. So let’s instead lead with a report that dynamic content vendor LiveIntent has found that email newsletter open rates are notably higher this week. It’s true that the reason is people are stuck at home due to coronavirus but we’ll take good news where we find it.
Here’s another half-full glass: Vox Media is working with the Google News Initiative to launch Concert Local, a centralized ad marketplace for local publishers. Google’s aggressive business tactics are a good part of the reason local publishers need help in the first place but remember: half a crumb is better than none.
CDP and marketing cloud vendor Zeta Global announced an agreement to purchase LiveIntent, which helps companies do email-based advertising. The deal will let Zeta expand its identity graph, enter the publisher monetization business, and accelerate its mobile and retail media products. Zeta will pay $77.5 million in cash and $172.5 million in common stock, with potential for additional payments based on performance.