Experian Unveils Groundbreaking Third-Party Data Marketplace at CES 2025

A New Era for Third-Party Data

Experian has officially launched its own third-party data marketplace at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas, marking a significant step in the data industry. This initiative stems from the earlier introduction of Experian Third-Party Onboarding last June, as highlighted by Kim Gilberti, GM of Experian Marketing Services.

Market Dynamics and Opportunities

Despite growing skepticism surrounding third-party data due to signal loss and privacy regulations, Experian’s strategic move comes at a time when the market is in flux. The abrupt exit of Oracle, a key player in data onboarding, has created a unique opportunity for Experian to fill this gap.

Gilberti noted, "Once we onboarded data vendors and integrated them with our identity graph, we decided to create a full-fledged marketplace to provide access to audiences from various data partners."

Key Partners in the Marketplace

The marketplace will initially feature data from Attain, Circana, Dun & Bradstreet, and Alliant, enhancing the offerings available to marketers.

Overcoming Stigmas of Third-Party Data

The term “third-party data marketplace” often carries negative connotations, akin to the labels of “ad network” or “data broker.” However, Experian embraces this label, with Gilberti acknowledging its validity.

Marketers have shown hesitance towards third-party data, favoring first-party data due to its perceived quality. Jose Moreira, GM of advanced TV analytics at DISH Media, emphasized the importance of accessing reliable third-party data for effective marketing campaigns.

Use Cases for the Marketplace

Experian’s marketplace is primarily aimed at TV advertising, allowing partners like DISH Media to forecast audience ratings by combining their data with the new marketplace offerings. This aligns with the industry's shift towards utilizing more robust and reliable third-party data.

Attain and Circana offer insights into shopper marketing and retail data, while Dun & Bradstreet caters to B2B marketing needs. There is potential for the marketplace to incorporate first-party data partners, although privacy concerns remain a barrier.

Moreira stated, "We generally shy away from packaging our data alongside aggregated suppliers, reflecting the ongoing caution around third-party data."