What is blockchain? How has it evolved in the last decade? What are the key ways this will impact marketing and insights industries and the data supply chain? Can this technology improve trust in the digital ecosystem. We open the Blockchain Forum exploring basic definitions, promise and perils, real-world examples of blockchain already in action.

Cure-all or snake oil? Blockchain peddlers are promising a beleaguered digital ad economy a solution for transaction and cost transparency, fraud, complexity, even privacy. But with so little actual media buying occurring through blockchain systems, we can spend all day debating the hype. The immediate question is how marketers and agencies are vetting the solutions, interrogating the hype, or testing the tech itself. What processes are companies putting in place to engage the blockchain promise? What is a realistic time horizon? How and where in an organization will these technologies integrate with existing systems?    

Not all of blockchain's promise revolves around monetary transactions. The technology also seems able to streamline, equalize and make more transparent many kinds of exchanges of value. Agreements between parties, authentication of goods, privacy controls, and more could become links in a blockchained economy. What are the implications or promise for the open ledger in the relationship of businesses with one another and directly with their customers?