Omar Tawakol is CEO of BlueKai, an online data exchange.

AdExchanger.com: Regarding your new BlueKai Certification Program, ad networks and buying platforms must be excited - you're performing lead gen for them, are you not? What is BlueKai getting?

OT: Yes, the new program is definitely designed to drive agency leads directly to our partners. It's a win-win situation because not only are we making it easier for agencies to adopt, we are also minimizing channel conflict and driving data-ready leads directly to our partners. BlueKai still gets paid for the data transaction - with the new process, agencies streamline their media and data buying through the media partners, who in turn, pays us for the data portion of the campaign.

What challenge were marketers running up against that prompted the program?

When we launched the BlueKai Exchange, we saw immediate excitement from the agency community on the need to define quality "data" to power their online campaigns. However, buying data separate of the media appealed to the early adopter agencies. For the rest of the agencies, the extra legal steps and separate insertion orders created work many of them would prefer to avoid. This prompted the creation of the Certification program with the goal of helping agencies get from "interest" to "running BlueKai-powered campaigns" in the most streamlined way possible. We've received very positive feedback from the agency community and we feel the program is successful in addressing some of the adoption barriers.

How is the BlueKai data set differentiating itself today?

BlueKai's differentiation remains the same. We are the only online data exchange who focuses on bringing intent data at scale to impact more effective online targeting. We only work with top tier commerce, travel and auto comparison sites to aggregate the most valuable in-market retail, travel and auto data into the BlueKai Exchange. With over 120 unique shoppers across these verticals, we're providing unparalleled access to low-funnel, ready-to-buy audiences. While our unique focus is intent data, we also partner with data providers to bring top-funnel data into the exchange for marketers interested in branding and awareness efforts.

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