Brands and marketers have always sought to create and foster meaningful relationships with consumers, and third-party cookies have long played a role in that pursuit. An over-reliance on the cookie, however, has left many brands without well-defined first-party data strategies. And without cookies, first-party data will become foundational in how brands connect with their customers and other consumers. 

To better understand that road ahead and the importance of planning now instead of 12 months down the road, we spoke with Katie Koval, SVP of product management at Nielsen. During our conversation, Koval highlights how first-party data is critical in creating relevant relationships with consumers and that technology will help advertisers truly put the customer at the center of everything they do.