The Total Economic Impact™ Of TransUnion Audience And Identity Solutions

Expanded Audience Reach Enabled By Increased Identity Match Rates

Evidence and data. In interviews, decision-makers described how limitations in identity match coverage previously constrained the scale of audiences their organizations could reliably reach, particularly as campaigns expanded across channels and endpoints. Improvements in identity resolution increased the share of consumers and households that could be recognized and activated, enabling broader audience reach without proportionally increasing spend. This reflected the expansion of in-scope campaign reach rather than the total universe of addressable households.

• The director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization said that fragmented identity previously limited addressability across digital environments: “We had a lot of traffic and audiences that we simply couldn’t identify with confidence. That meant large portions of potential reach were effectively unavailable for targeting or suppression.”

• The director of data and audience strategy for a pay TV and streaming media organization noted that identity improvements directly affected reachable scale, stating, “Once match rates improved, we could consistently recognize more households across platforms, which immediately increased the size of audiences we could activate.”

• According to the director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer, identity resolution expanded addressability earlier in the journey: “Before, there were large segments of site visitors and customers we couldn’t connect back to a household or individual. Improving match rates changed how much of our audience we could actually work with.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that reach expansion was particularly important at scale, noting, “As audience sizes grew into the millions, even small improvements in match coverage translated into materially larger addressable audiences.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization targets approximately 15 million households annually across in-scope identity-dependent campaigns rather than the total addressable market.

• Baseline identity match rates reflect prior onboarding and identity workflows (e.g., third-party onboarding providers) rather than a no-identity state.

• Post-investment match rates reflect improvements in onboarding and match performance observed by interviewees, particularly in activation and suppression use cases.

• Only a portion of newly addressable households are assumed to generate outcomes within the study period to reflect conservative activation and monetization practices.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Variation in identity quality across data sources. Differences in first‑party data completeness or partner data quality can affect realized improvements in match coverage.

• Differences in activation readiness. Organizations may vary in how quickly newly addressable audiences can be operationalized within campaigns.

• Channel mix and use case dependency. The impact of increased match rates can differ depending on the channels and activation scenarios in scope.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $5.0 million.

Improved Performance Of Existing Reach Through Enhanced Audience Targeting

Evidence and data. Interviewees explained that, beyond expanding reach, improved identity and audience enrichment allowed their organizations to perform better against audiences they were already able to reach. Enhanced audience attributes and more precise targeting improved relevance, reduced noise, and enabled more effective activation within existing addressable segments. They noted improvement is measured through treated versus control comparisons, where audiences leveraging identity and enrichment signals outperform baseline targeting approaches.

• The director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer said that audience enrichment improved precision within known audiences: “We were already reaching these customers, but the targeting wasn’t as sharp. Adding richer identity and audience attributes helped us focus on the right segments instead of treating everyone the same.”

• The director of data and audience strategy at a pay TV and streaming media organization noted that improved targeting directly impacted outcomes, stating, “Once we layered better identity and audience data into campaigns, we saw clearer differences between control and treated groups, which made optimization much more effective.”

• According to the director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization, enriched targeting improved performance without increasing reach: “We didn’t need more impressions. We needed better signals on the audiences we already had, and that’s where we started to see lift.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that performance gains became more pronounced over time. They stated, “As more campaigns used enriched audience data, targeting became more consistent, and performance improved as teams learned how to apply it at scale.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization already reaches a substantial base of addressable consumers and households through identity-dependent activation.

• Enriched identity and audience attributes improve targeting precision within this existing reachable audience.

• Performance improvements are driven primarily by measured lift in treated versus control segments rather than changes in baseline conversion rates.

• A conservative baseline outcome rate is applied with value driven by incremental improvement from targeting lift rather than changes in outcome value per conversion.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Variation in audience strategy maturity. Organizations with less experience applying enriched targeting may realize slower improvements in performance.

• Differences in data adoption across teams. Performance benefits may depend on how consistently enriched audience data is used across campaigns.

• Channel‑specific effectiveness. Targeting lift can vary by channel and use case, affecting realized outcomes.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $671,000.

Increased Operating Profit From Audiences Rooted In Identity Activation

Evidence and data. According to interviewees, improvements in identity resolution and audience quality did more than increase reach or targeting precision — they increased the value of outcomes generated through activation. Better identity signals helped their organizations prioritize higher‑value audiences, reduce low‑quality engagement, and improve the economic value of conversions and responses.

• The director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization said improved identity quality changed the value of engagement: “It wasn’t just about more responses. We could tell which activations were actually worth more to the business and that changed how we evaluated performance.”

• The director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer noted that better identity and audience clarity improved downstream value. They stated, “When identity and audience quality improved, the customers coming through campaigns were simply more valuable than before.”

• According to the director of data and audience strategy at a pay TV and streaming media organization, higher‑quality activation improved efficiency. They said, “Once we had better identity resolution in place, the outcomes we generated carried more value because targeting was tighter and error was lower.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that value gains compounded over time, stating, “As identity‑enabled activation became more consistent, we saw better results from the same audiences, which translated into stronger returns.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization already generates outcomes from identity‑dependent marketing and media activation.

• Improvements in identity and audience quality increase the value of a subset of those outcomes rather than increasing total outcome volume, with incremental value applied only to influenced outcomes.

• Only a portion of outcomes are influenced by improved identity and audience quality in earlier years, with influence expanding as adoption grows.

• Incremental value is realized through improved relevance, reduced inefficiency, and higher‑quality engagement.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Differences in outcome value by business model. The incremental value of improved identity may vary depending on how organizations monetize outcomes.

• Variation in targeting and measurement practices. Organizations may differ in how effectively they capture and attribute value from improved activation.

• Adoption consistency over time. Realized gains may depend on how broadly identity‑enabled activation is adopted across campaigns.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $1.6 million.

Reduced Operational Effort For Audience Creation And Activation Workflows

Evidence and data. Interviewed decision-makers described how fragmented identity systems and manual onboarding processes at their organizations previously created significant operational overhead in audience creation and activation workflows. Identity‑enabled automation and more unified audience workflows reduced the time and effort required to prepare, manage, and activate audiences across campaigns and channels.

• The director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization said that manual processes were a persistent bottleneck, noting, “We spent a lot of time just getting audiences ready — onboarding data, fixing mismatches, and coordinating across tools before anything could launch.”

• The director of data and audience strategy at a pay TV and streaming media organization noted that workflow improvements reduced repeated effort: “Before, teams were constantly rebuilding or troubleshooting audiences. Once identity workflows were streamlined, that effort dropped substantially.”

• According to the director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer, identity‑enabled automation freed up team capacity: “Audience creation took much less hands‑on effort. That time was redirected toward optimization instead of preparation.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that operational improvements scaled across teams. They noted, “As more workflows moved onto a single identity‑enabled foundation, the amount of manual coordination required across teams decreased.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization involves multiple roles in audience creation and activation workflows.

• Prior to the investment, these roles regularly spend time on manual onboarding, reconciliation, and audience preparation tasks.

• Identity‑enabled automation and improved workflows reduce the effort required to create and activate audiences.

• Only a portion of the time saved is assumed to be converted into productive capacity, in line with TEI productivity capture guidance.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Differences in workflow complexity. Organizations with more fragmented processes may realize larger or smaller efficiency gains.

• Levels of automation adoption. Realized effort reduction depends on how broadly identity‑enabled workflows are adopted across teams.

• Variation in role mix. The number and type of roles involved in audience workflows can affect overall labor savings.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $326,000.

Reduced Media Waste Through Improved Identity Accuracy

Evidence and data. Interviewees’ organizations experienced limitations in identity accuracy that previously led to inefficient media spend, including impressions delivered to unaddressable, duplicate, or ineligible audiences. Interviewees noted that improved identity resolution reduced these inefficiencies by enabling more accurate targeting and suppression, increasing confidence that impressions were delivered to the intended consumers and households.

• The director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization said inaccurate identity signals drove unnecessary waste: “We were paying for impressions that didn’t reach the right people. Without strong identity accuracy, a portion of spend was effectively lost.”

• The director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer noted that improved accuracy reduced overdelivery. They said, “Better identity helped us avoid serving ads to customers who should have been suppressed, which immediately reduced wasted impressions.”

• According to the director of data and audience strategy at a pay TV and streaming media organization, identity accuracy improved efficiency across channels. This interviewee explained, “Once we could more reliably identify households, we had far more control over where spend was going and could limit waste tied to poor matches.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that identity accuracy mattered most at scale: “At national scale, even small inaccuracies in identity translated into meaningful waste. Improving match quality helped tighten delivery.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization executes large‑scale media campaigns where identity accuracy directly affects impression quality.

• Prior to the investment, a portion of media spend includes inefficiencies driven by low‑fidelity identity matching.

• Improvements in identity accuracy reduce waste embedded in media spend by improving match confidence and suppression.

• Savings are realized through reduced inefficiency rather than changes in total media spend.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Differences in baseline identity accuracy. Organizations starting with higher match quality may realize lower marginal improvements.

• Media mix variability. The degree of waste reduction can vary depending on channels and formats in scope.

• Activation discipline. Realized savings depend on how consistently improved identity signals are applied across campaigns.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $2.4 million.

Avoided Third‑Party Onboarding, Enrichment, And Data Costs Through Vendor Consolidation

Evidence and data. In their previous environments, interviewees’ organizations relied on multiple third‑party vendors for data onboarding, enrichment, and identity resolution previously introduced incremental costs and operational complexity. Interviewees noted that consolidating identity and audience capabilities reduced the need for separate vendors and duplicate services, allowing their organizations to avoid recurring third‑party fees tied to onboarding and enrichment. Savings are modeled at the program level and reflect avoided vendor/onboarding fees regardless of whether execution was previously supported internally or by agencies.

• The director of marketing technology and digital engagement at a telecommunications organization said vendor consolidation reduced external spend: “Before, we were paying multiple partners just to onboard and enrich data. Bringing more of that under one platform helped us eliminate redundant costs.”

• The director of marketing and customer data strategy at a multichannel retailer noted that consolidation simplified both cost management and operations, stating, “Using fewer third‑party providers reduced the fees we were paying for enrichment and made budgeting much more predictable.”

• According to the director of data and audience strategy at a pay TV and streaming media organization, consolidating identity capabilities reduced reliance on external tooling. They said, “We didn’t need to keep layering separate onboarding or enrichment services once identity and audience workflows were unified.”

• The VP of product strategy and development at an out‑of‑home advertising and media organization explained that savings were incremental but durable, noting, “The cost avoidance wasn’t massive on its own, but it was consistent year over year once we reduced dependency on outside vendors.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization previously incurred recurring third-party costs related to data onboarding, enrichment, and identity services.

• Vendor consolidation reduces the need for separate third-party solutions performing overlapping functions.

• Only a portion of third-party costs are attributed to identity and audience activation use cases in scope.

• Savings are partially realized in Year 1 as organizations transition from prior vendors, with full realization in steady-state operations.

Risks. The value of this benefit can vary across organizations due to the following:

• Differences in vendor ecosystems. Organizations with more complex or entrenched vendor stacks may see higher or lower cost avoidance.

• Scope of consolidation. Some third‑party services may still be required depending on specific use cases.

• Contract timing and flexibility. Realized savings can depend on existing contract terms and renewal cycles.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 10%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $137,000.

Unquantified Benefits

Interviewees mentioned the following additional benefits that their organizations experienced but were not able to quantify:

• Improved confidence in identity and audience understanding. Interviewees noted that stronger identity accuracy gave their teams greater assurance that targeting and suppression decisions were grounded in reliable audience recognition. With improved visibility into individual‑ and household‑level audiences, their teams could make decisions with less uncertainty and greater conviction across channels.

• Greater agility in planning and execution. Unified identity and audience workflows allowed the interviewees’ organizations’ teams to launch, adjust, and scale campaigns more quickly. Faster access to production‑ready audiences supported timely responses to performance signals, shifting priorities, and changing market conditions without added operational complexity.

• Stronger cross-functional collaboration across marketing, data, and analytics teams. According to interviewees, a shared identity and audience foundation helped their teams align earlier and more consistently across campaign planning, execution, and analysis. More consistent audience definitions reduced rework and miscommunication, enabling smoother handoffs and more coordinated decision‑making as campaign complexity increases.

• Clearer executive-level visibility into audience strategy and performance. Improved transparency into audience construction and reach performance strengthened leadership understanding of identity‑driven strategies at the interviewees’ organizations. This visibility supported more informed discussions around media investment, prioritization, and long‑term audience development, even when impacts were not tied to near‑term financial metrics.

Flexibility

The value of flexibility is unique to each customer. There are multiple scenarios in which a customer might implement TransUnion audience and identity solutions and later realize additional uses and business opportunities, including:

• Expansion into new channels and activation environments. Interviewees said that a unified identity foundation positioned their organizations to more easily extend audience activation into emerging or expanding channels such as CTV, streaming, and retail media. As new endpoints or partners were added, identity‑enabled audiences could be reused without rebuilding workflows from scratch.

• Broader adoption of cloud‑native data collaboration and privacy‑preserving workflows. Interviewees described increased interest in applying identity capabilities to clean room collaboration, in‑cloud matching, and partner data sharing. These scenarios could enable future initiatives that reduce data movement risk while supporting more advanced collaboration with publishers, platforms, or retail media partners.

• Scaling and reusing first‑party and custom audiences over time. Interviewees noted that improved identity resolution made it easier to extend existing first‑party and modeled audiences to new use cases. As their organizations matured their audience strategies, the same identity and audience assets could be applied across additional campaigns, brands, or business units, increasing long‑term value without proportional increases in effort.

Flexibility would also be quantified when evaluated as part of a specific project (described in more detail in Total Economic Impact Approach).