February’s edition of Digital Transformation Monthly looks at brands experimenting with new physical and virtual retail spaces, online marketplaces and digital rewards schemes, plus the latest developments from established banks adopting fintech practices, and many more stories.

Third-party tracking cookies have until now formed the backbone of digital advertising and dynamic content. But with Google’s forthcoming sunsetting of the technology (albeit after a stay of execution until 2023) marketers will have to find new ways to be effective in a world without this method of identification.

This, in combination with Apple and its fellow tech giants tightening up privacy protections, has reinforced the primacy of first-party data.

The chronic issue of the skills gap in digital has developed into a sharp pain. Our global lurch online continues to generate unprecedented demand for the skills to support digital marketing, experience and commerce, and businesses are hard pressed to satisfy it.

As businesses look to increase focus on spend and customer acquisition, marketers need to look seriously at how investing in the right marketing analytics tools can set them up for success right now.