Forrester “Now Tech: Customer Data Platforms, Q1 2022” Report Includes Tealium

Tealium has been named the only orchestration CDP in the “Large” market segment ($75M+ ARR) in Forrester’s brand new B2C CDP Now Tech Report. 

In a milestone for the diverse and rapidly growing CDP category, this report helps technology buyers understand the market and choose the right solution. It also separates fact from fiction by categorizing vendors by market presence and functionality to give a defined look at the space.

There are a number of interesting points that buyers should take note of…

Tealium Named 1 of 5 CDP Vendors in the “Large” Category 

With the rapid growth of the CDP category, and the numerous different approaches that vendors take within the category, the market is begging for this type of analysis. Buyers can use this information to identify vendors that they can truly trust for the long haul. Enterprises need to be very careful when making an investment in a system like a CDP that will impact the organization so broadly. 

As the industry’s most trusted CDP, this new Now Tech report validates Tealium’s position in the market as an established player and not a fly-by-night martech vendor without staying power.

While Forrester has commented generally on the CDP market and done a B2B CDP Wave (Tealium named a “Contender”), they have not directly covered B2C CDP vendors until this report (and its companion report for APAC). Yet, with so many solutions in the category, and a seemingly non-stop stream of vendors re-positioning to grab a piece of this hot market, reputable information is invaluable so companies adopting CDP technology can make a wise decision. 

Forrester identifies 4 functionality segments to help buyers choose the right CDP 

The 4 categories Forrester identifies in the Now Tech report are: Data Management, Orchestration, Automation, Measurement. 

• Data Management vendors focus on data schemas, transformation, and profile creation. 
• Orchestration CDPs build profiles and customer segments that provide audiences to platforms that execute on the data for engagement.
• Automation vendors include campaign management features and have native execution tools like email and/or mobile messaging.
• Measurement CDPs are focused on analytics, modeling and customer analysis.

Tealium is proud to be named an orchestration CDP (the only Orchestration CDP in the Large category) as this captures the spirit of our data-first approach, meant to empower a best of breed tech stack. By managing first party data to produce the best possible dataset, we believe this provides companies ultimate flexibility and maximizes results. By orchestrating data, companies maintain their critical first party data foundation even as tools and channels change with ever-evolving consumer behavior.

Possibly a surprise to some, the traditional Marketing Cloud CDPs aren’t represented in the “Large” category. 

Despite the rapid category growth, CDPs are no easy button

The analyst who wrote the Now Tech report, Joe Stanhope, is no stranger to marketing technology. As a veteran marketer and analyst, he’s seen many categories come and go. So it’s no surprise that he offers great advice to buyers evaluating CDP solutions. 

First off, he stresses the importance of evaluating vendors specifically in relation to the company’s existing stack. CDPs must operate in the company’s specific context, so evaluation is key.

Secondly, he notes that CDPs are not commonly defined, and as such, it’s critical to precisely define requirements. Because CDPs are available in different configurations, it’s important to understand the nuances and connectivity to the company’s specific needs. 

The full Now Tech report can be read here, free for all Forrester clients. For more information on CDPs, check out our Definitive Guide to Customer Data Platforms.