cdp - Martech Therapy (Page 7)

Contextual CDPs: Building the bridge

Part 4 of 6: What connects today's CDPs to tomorrow’s agent-driven context

If the first three parts of this series explored what’s possible when context becomes the driving force behind customer data, then this one asks a more grounded question:

How do we actually get there?

I’ve spoken with teams who are genuinely excited by the idea of using memory, inference, and context to make their CDPs smarter. But many feel stuck between inspiration and implementation. They see the potential, but don’t quite know where to start.

Let’s be honest, the martech stack is already complex enough. The last thing anyone wants is to bolt on a new

Contextual CDPs: Trust as a feature

Part 3 of 6: Why identity graphs can’t create relationships, and how context might.

In Part 1, I looked at how model context protocols could reshape the customer profile, from static to dynamic, from collected to interpreted. In Part 2, I spoke about how that same shift could drive smarter, more human orchestration across channels and touchpoints.

But there’s a deeper layer we need to talk about. Not tech. Not tactics. Trust.

Because when our systems start inferring, remembering, and deciding → the stakes change. And our responsibilities as builders shift right along with them.

Dynamic Context == Dynamic Responsibility

With great memory comes great obligation.

Sorry, Uncle Ben.

When we move from static profiles

CDP Reboot: Where are we now?

A candid panel with Dylan Flye and Oussama Ghanmi on the evolution of CDPs, composability, and what comes next.

In this latest installment of the CDP Reboot series, I sat down with Dylan Flye (Simon Data) and Oussama Ghanmi (DinMo) for a brutally honest discussion about the current and future state of Customer Data Platforms.

What started as a debate about the fate of the CDP category quickly turned into something more revealing. We explored why the original promise of CDPs may have overreached, how warehouse-native models and modularity are rewriting the rules, and why AI might not be the silver bullet, but still changes the game.

We didn’t always agree. But we did converge on one thing:

Contextual CDPs: Memory, not identity, is what makes context work

Part 2 of 6: How model context protocols could replace the brittle logic of user tracking.

In Part 1, I explored how model context protocols (MCPs) could shift CDPs from passive data stores into dynamic context engines. Profiles that update themselves in the moment, based on intent, tone, and history. Not just segments, but signals. And now? Let’s see what happens when those signals actually drive decisions… in real time, across multiple touchpoints.

Because here’s the next big unlock: context-aware orchestration.

Real-time isn’t just about speed

Let’s be honest, "real-time" has been one of those buzziest of buzzwords we’ve collectively abused for years. It often means “fast batch,” or “eventual personalization.

Are we overestimating AI? Or underestimating what's coming?

A Couch Confidentials conversation with Michael Katz about the illusions (and realities) of AI, CDPs, and how to survive the next data wave.

What happens when the tools we think are helping us today aren't ready for the future we’re speeding into?

In this episode of Couch Confidentials, Michael Katz (CEO of mParticle) joins me to talk about where AI is really at, why most CDPs are stuck in the past, and why success in Martech now depends less on the tech itself and more on how you think about it.

We dive into:

Why "People overestimate where we are today and underestimate how fast this stuff progresses."
The two very different paths CDPs are taking (and why one is a race

Contextual CDP, let me explain why...

A personal message on my motivations for writing the series.

I’ve just kicked off a new blog series on something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: how customer data platforms could work if they were built around context, not just profiles.

This short video (<4 minutes) is a personal reflection on what led me to write the series, what I’m exploring, and how memory, inference, and nuance might change the way we think about CDPs.

Curious what you think. Watch the video, then let me know what questions it raises for you.

Posts tagged with cdp

Dynamic Context == Dynamic Responsibility

Real-time isn’t just about speed