As AdTech seeks scalable alternatives to cookie- and ID-based targeting, Verve is betting on a less conventional—but increasingly viable—approach: on-device cohorts.
Today, Verve and Experian announced a collaboration designed to deliver high-accuracy targeting for ID-less audiences. By merging Verve’s on-device intelligence with Experian’s marketing data, marketers can reach their intended audiences even when traditional identifiers are limited or unavailable.
Experian’s data provides a robust foundation for audience targeting across both ID-based and ID-less methods. Verve enhances this with ATOM, its proprietary ID-less on-device contextual platform, enabling targeting and monetization across over 65,000 apps in Verve’s programmatic ecosystem. Already active on 30% of Verve’s iOS traffic, ATOM has generated more than 740 unique audience cohorts spanning behavioral, contextual, and demographic traits.
The collaboration goes a step further: Experian will benchmark ATOM-generated cohorts, including gesture-based demographics derived from touch signals such as swipe speed, screen pressure, and interaction patterns. This ensures that ID-less targeting is not just broad, but accurate.
Ali Mack, VP of AdTech at Experian Marketing Services, said, “By validating Verve’s ATOM cohorts with Experian marketing data, we’re giving brands a dependable way to activate at scale and measure what matters—reach and results—across a massive in-app footprint.”
ATOM cohorts are cross-checked against Experian’s U.S. consumer database, covering 300 million individuals and 126 million households. Ranked #1 in accuracy by Truthset, Experian’s dataset is maintained through multi-source compilation, real-time updates, and a proprietary accuracy validation framework.
“This is a breakthrough moment in our mission to enable performant marketing without identity,” said David Philippson, Chief Product Officer at Verve. “Our collaboration with Experian ensures that every ID-less cohort we deliver meets the highest bar of accuracy.”
Verve’s partnership with Experian marks a milestone for ID-less targeting, providing a model for AdTech companies navigating privacy-restricted environments while still seeking measurable scale and precision. As the industry moves away from traditional identifiers, hybrid approaches like this could redefine the way marketers reach audiences in a cookieless world.
