• by Robert Silver , March 5, 2025

In 2025, commerce, media, and CRM are increasingly converging, ushering in the age of hyper-connected media. With this trend afoot, second-party data is becoming a crucial lever to create more meaningful customer segments and experiences.

With the increasing number of platforms and channels that we can interact with on a daily basis, the customer experience is susceptible to fragmentation. Brands need to paint a more complete picture of their behavior at every touchpoint, and first-party data alone isn’t enough. That’s where second-party data really shines.

Second-party data enables more personalized and seamless customer, media, and commerce experiences. By building strong data partnerships, brands are able to enrich the way they understand customer needs and preferences, which ultimately strengthens relationships and drives engagement.

The value of data partnerships: why this is a natural evolution

While first-party data is collected directly from users, and third-party data is aggregated from multiple sources, second-party data is all about validation via a partnership or data-sharing agreement. It provides added value through verifying findings, enriching customer profiles, and improving targeted marketing strategies.

The evolution of data usage within media has shifted significantly in recent years, driven largely by growing privacy concerns and regulatory changes. With the decline of third-party cookies, marketers are moving away from relying on broad, less transparent data sources.

This has accelerated the shift toward first-party data, collected directly from users and providing more accurate, privacy-compliant insights. Data partnerships complement these insights, going a layer deeper and bridging the gap between your internal data and the broader data ecosystem.

All of this data and the value of data partnerships ladder up to one thing: better customer experiences.

The wonderful world of data privacy: navigating customer trust

Customers want to be able to control and protect their personal information. When customers trust a brand, they’re more likely to increase engagement, strengthen loyalty, and even become willing to share more data.

Data partnerships help brands strike the balance between privacy and personalization by ensuring data accuracy and customer trust. Since second-party data is shared directly between what would be considered trusted partners, it offers brands the ability to be more transparent in their data collection and usage. However, the ability to “peel back the curtain” through data partnerships allows customers to be more receptive to data-powered, hyper-personalized experiences.

Customers need a clear understanding of how their data is being used to craft these personalized experiences and provide them with options to manage their privacy settings. True transparency comes from being open about the benefits of personalization while also acknowledging any restrictions.

Having an ethical, privacy-compliant approach to personalization will strengthen brand loyalty across all connected media touchpoints.

So what?

The ROI of having data partnerships power your connected media approach is multifaceted. It leads to greater consistency in messaging and quality of content while offering seamless experiences across all channels. Data partnerships tap into passions, adding value not just for data fidelity but for the sake of the customer experience.

As we push forward, it’s essential that brands cultivate trust with their customers. Data privacy must remain at the forefront of these partnerships. The value of these partnerships extends far beyond the data, unlocking more meaningful connections and driving long-term loyalty and success.