Dentsu Aegis Network has bought 4Cite, a first-party identification and analytics platform. 4Cite will become part of the Dentsu Aegis-owned marketing performance company Merkle Inc. 4Cite’s identity resolution capabilities will also be used by M1, Dentsu Aegis’ people-based identity and data platform.
“The 4Cite acquisition plays a critical role in the future-proofing of our platform in a world where the third party cookie is crumbling,” said Merkle Americas President Craig Dempster. 4Cite will retain its company name and its 50 employees will join Merkle’s staff.
Why we care
The acquisition underscores the growing importance of first-party data solutions as advertisers search for new ways to consistently and effectively reach their target audiences. Merkle said it is “making a priority” of investing heavily in first-party data technology. Marketers are being forced to prioritize first-party data with the advent of privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA and moves by browsers operators, including Apple, Google and Mozilla, to crack down on third-party cookie tracking.
More on the news
- This is Dentsu Aegis’ second acquisition already this year. The company announced last week that it had bought Digital Pi, a digital marketing agency and marketing automation consultancy.
- 4Cite CEO Bob Gaito is taking on the role of chairman and will report to Merkle’s Chief Data Officer Eugene Becker.
- Merkle Inc. is one of ten global network brands owned by Dentsu Aegis. The other nine include Carat, Dentsu, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum.
About The Author
Amy Gesenhues is a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy’s articles.