When it comes to digital marketing, the ultimate goal is to personalize messaging to a customer’s precise interests and purchasing habits. This kind of engagement is only possible via thorough analysis of consumer data that leads to a complete and accurate portrait of an organization’s shoppers.
In an effort to give brands the information necessary for this engagement, two of the largest brands in technology—Adobe and Microsoft—are joining forces to make Microsoft Azure the preferred cloud platform for the Adobe Marketing Cloud program.
The partnership is one of convenience for both companies; Adobe Marketing Cloud is a powerful tool, but lacks the hosting capacity to handle the immense amount of customer data in play, while Microsoft Azure Cloud will leverage Adobe’s technology to win customers and bring traffic to its cloud.
The Adobe Marketing Cloud includes several technologies that will benefit from its hosting power. Chief among them is Adobe Analytics, which will use the Azure Cloud to improve its performance among features like mobile app analytics and Customer360, the platform’s tool for obtaining and understanding a complete perspective of a given customer journey.
Azure and Adobe Marketing Cloud are already two of the most powerful platforms in digital marketing, offering solutions that allow companies to more effectively reach customers through digital means.
"Business leaders in every industry are focused on how to better engage their digital customers, wherever they are," said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. "Together, Adobe and Microsoft are bringing the most advanced marketing capabilities on the most powerful and intelligent cloud to help companies digitally transform and engage customers in new ways."
When contacted, Microsoft declined to comment further.
Through the partnership, the companies hope to use their combined computing muscle to power a client’s ability to more precisely target and engage both current and prospective customers. This ability has been long sought after by companies who have been until now been unable to collect and analyze the data necessary to reach shoppers, especially as they shop through an increasing number of channels and devices.
"Customers today expect a well-designed, personalized and consistent experience every time they engage with a brand," said Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO of Adobe. "Adobe and Microsoft will bring together the cloud horsepower and end-to-end capabilities brands need to design and deliver great digital experiences."
Specifically, Microsoft and Adobe will work to ensure seamless data integrations across Adobe Marketing Cloud and 365 Dynamics, providing a data analytics solution that incorporates advanced AI and machine learned technologies.
For clients of both programs, the partnership means, in essence, that customer data will be that much easier to both collect and analyze. The ability for a brand to “slice” this data into actionable insight is a directly correlating factor in its overall capability in terms of engaging customers with personalized messaging.
It’s always noteworthy when giants in an industry come together, and for clients of both Microsoft and Adobe, the combined computing power may be the key to reaching the marketing Holy Grail of truly personalized CX.