Let’s abandon our usual crankiness today. We’ll start with a blockchain-based consent tracking solution from location data vendor Cuebiq. Apps that collect data usage consent from consumers can store the details on blockchain, where other companies can read them to verify that data is shared legitimately. Nice.

Subscription marketing is still the wave of the future, unless I missed a memo. Two items on that topic: subscription ecommerce platform Limelight has added a new set of products including dynamic pricing, a drag-and-drop store builder, and ability to target campaigns at specific customer segments. Meanwhile, another subscription platform, AppDirect, has partnered with Coveo to add AI-powered search and recommendations.

It’s tough to get brand safety right, but the industry keeps trying.  IPG Mediabrands announced a new set of tools to find and block inappropriate ad placements, while IAS expanded its suitability measurements to include standards from the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).  Meanwhile, DoubleVerify admitted a mistake made brand safety on X/Twitter look worse than it really was in October 2023 and March 2024.