Sachin Malik: How First-party Data Is Redefining Precision Advertising

Summary

Sachin Malik, VP and global head of revenue strategy and operations at Block, argues that first-party data has moved from a nice-to-have to a core operational asset for advertisers. Drawing on his experience at Uber Advertising, Walmart Connect and Block (Cash App and Afterpay), Malik shows how verified transaction and engagement signals enable far more precise targeting, attribution and measurement than deprecated third-party cookies or inferred signals.

The article explains how using purchase and app-usage data turns advertising into a measurable growth engine, improves AI model training with high-fidelity inputs, and reframes privacy as a competitive advantage when handled transparently and securely.

Key Points

First-party data = information collected directly from customers via purchases, app use, loyalty programmes and direct engagement.
As third-party cookies fade and platform privacy tightens, first-party data is the most reliable foundation for targeting and measurement.
Malik’s work at Walmart Connect operationalised retail transaction data to improve advertiser outcomes using verified purchase behaviour.
At Block, Cash App and Afterpay transactional signals are structured into a Commerce Media Network that links advertising to real financial behaviour for stronger attribution.
First-party data strengthens AI: it supplies high-fidelity training inputs for predictive, intent-driven activation rather than coarse segmentation.
Research (Deloitte) shows first-party-driven personalisation can raise conversions (~27%), customer satisfaction (~23%) and spend per customer (~20%) while lowering acquisition costs (~18%).
Privacy and security are non-negotiable: transparency and compliance turn data collection into a trust-building differentiator.
Strategically, investing in first-party data infrastructure is positioned as a long-term competitive move, not merely a tactical response to third-party deprecation.

Why should I read this

Look — if you run marketing, commerce or data strategy, this is the kind of no-nonsense briefing that saves you hours of digging. Malik doesn’t just theorise: he explains practical wins from real platforms (Walmart, Cash App, Afterpay) and shows why leaving first-party data to chance will cost you targeting accuracy, attribution clarity and growth. Quick, actionable and directly relevant to budgets and roadmaps.

Context and Relevance

The piece sits squarely in current industry shifts: third-party cookie deprecation, tighter privacy rules and the rise of commerce media. For executives, it underlines that the competitive edge is moving from media spend optimisation to the operational relationship a brand builds with its own data. It’s particularly relevant for retailers, payment platforms and brands that can capture transactional signals and integrate them into advertising and AI workflows.

Author style

Punchy: the article reads like a strategic memo from the front line. Malik’s perspective is urgent — not optional — and the take-away is clear: build your first-party data infrastructure now or risk competing on declining returns.