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<hr /> If there’s a lyrical hook to describe <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/about/accenture-song-index">Accenture Song</a>, it might be Tom Petty’s chorus on “Runnin’ Down a Dream” from the seminal Full Moon Fever album.The narrative unfolds on Petty (presumably), who is driving some metaphorical highway,“workin’ on a mystery” and “goin’ wherever it leads.” Hopefully to the aforementioned dream. <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1D3a5eDJIs"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y1D3a5eDJIs" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> When Accenture rebranded its interactive practice – in essence, rewriting it in a song – it was the post-pandemic halcyon days of 2022. The company was chasing new ways to reinvent customer connections and drive commerce at a time when, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.consultancy.uk/news/26372/covid-19-has-accelerated-digital-transformation-by-seven-years">according to some analysts</a>, we had experienced seven years of digital transformation in the space of a few months.Given that hyperbolic pace, digital agencies were in a head spin, struggling to help organizations make the leap to a digital-first, multi-channel world. In the transom, Accenture saw the importance of people in the value equation. As such, it chose the “Song” moniker as an expression of the “enduring and universal form of human craft, connection, inspiration, technical prowess, and experience,” enabling imagination and ideas to deliver real results.What does that look like from a services perspective? For starters, it’s a new paradigm for agencies that bucks the status quo – a blend of creativity, innovation, and technology that helps brands push boundaries and build relevance. And while this new fusion still provides the full gamut of capabilities you would expect from a creative shop, they do it with a tech-focused transformational edge. That means immersive content experiences like AR/VR, edge applications with artificial intelligence, and more.Case in point: Song recently partnered with Fortune to modernize its ubiquitous <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/case-studies/data-ai/fortune-turning-data-into-insights">Fortune 500 list into an AI-driven platform</a>, giving business leaders access to insights gleaned from years of data – we’re talking all the way back to 1938. This kind of ground-breaking innovation led the company to an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.adnews.com.au/news/accenture-song-records-high-single-digit-growth">estimated revenue</a> of $19 billion last year, roughly one-third of parent company Accenture’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.adweek.com/agencies/accenture-song-ai/#:~:text=Gen%20AI%20accounted%20for%20$3,Accenture%20revenues%20of%20$64.1%20billion.">nearly $70 billion in revenue</a>.But here’s the “mystery” part of the chorus: Change. It’s undeniable, and it’s driving faster than Tom Petty’s fingers on a fretboard. Based on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/2022/accenture-announces-accenture-interactives-evolution">Accenture’s own research</a>, nearly 90% of C-suite executives stated that the current needs of customers and employees are changing faster than leaders can adapt their businesses. That means new kinds of growth models are required to keep runnin’ down the dream – if we ever hope to realize it. Nowhere is that truer than in the realm of digital commerce, where Accenture Song has been writing a new tune and composing it with composable. To put it on wax, Accenture Song has been investing in a multitude of areas to juice its data and intelligence capabilities. In 2022, they bought an outfit called <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ffiftyfive5.com%2F&amp;esheet=52991191&amp;newsitemid=20221130005997&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Fiftyfive5&amp;index=1&amp;md5=a2e1463fbb80e76cc846424317f6de9a">Fiftyfive5</a>, a customer insights and advisory business that helps clients tap data insights and performance marketing to accelerate growth and innovation. Then, in March of last year, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/2024/accenture-completes-acquisition-of-mindcurv">they acquired Mindcurv</a>, a cloud-native digital experience and data analytics company specializing in composable software, digital engineering, and commerce services. The purchase enhanced Accenture Song’s position as a leader in composable commerce, cementing the company’s composable practice in North America, Europe, and other regions.Now, the company is taking another bold step behind composability by joining the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/">MACH Alliance,</a> the industry group advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems. Announced last week, Accenture Song will become the latest member of the Alliance’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/categories/mach-certified-gsi-s">certified GSI (Global Systems Integrator)</a> cohort – an exclusive group of MACH SIs that share a sizable global influence. The Alliance bench also includes <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/deloitte-digital">Deloitte Digital</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/epam">EPAM</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/publicis-sapient">Publicis Sapient</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/valtech">Valtech</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/members/vml">VML</a>.​​​According to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjad-liaquat/">Amjad Liaquat</a> – global lead, commerce platform design at Accenture Song – MACH aligns with his organization’s vision on a number of levels. “At Accenture Song, composability and the MACH paradigm are fundamental enablers of customer-centric transformation,” he said. “By embracing modular architectures, API-first design, cloud-native solutions, and headless experiences, we empower brands to move with agility, innovate at scale, and craft truly differentiated experiences.”Change is still a mystery, but having the right people and technology can help brands become more agile and resourceful – so they can face the unknown and thrive. As Liaquat shared, it’s the combination of creativity with the flexibility of MACH that enables businesses to seamlessly adapt to evolving customer expectations, unlocking new value at the crossroads between tech and design. “With our unique ability to bring together advisory, creativity, and technology at scale, we help global clients navigate this new AI-powered world,” he continued, “where adaptability, intelligence, and human-centric experiences are the key to sustained growth and differentiation.”<h3 id="runnin’-down-the-composable-dream">Runnin’ down the composable dream</h3>Like all its peers in the GSI and broader MACH Alliance membership, Accenture Song will be working to align with industry standards, collaborate with ecosystem leaders, and drive client-focused innovation. As a highly visible and globally respected brand, Accenture Song will serve as an authoritative voice in composable commerce initiatives and share expertise with other members. Additionally, it has committed to growing and deepening the market’s awareness of the MACH approach to composable commerce – and how MACH can help businesses to innovate. Accenture Song’s involvement could also have a significant “lift” effect, encouraging MACH adoption in a professional services category that is seeing a steady increase of adoption. This is reinforced by data gathered in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://machalliance.org/global-annual-research">2025 MACH Alliance Global Annual Research</a> – a report that surveyed IT leaders across sectors. It found that over half of all companies with a “mostly” MACH/composable infrastructure in place have become more competitive and adapt more quickly to that mystery of change. As previously mentioned, Accenture Song has joined the Alliance as a certified GSI member, alongside a “who’s who” of world-class digital agencies and consultancies. Like all other members, it achieved its GSI status by meeting a rigorous set of criteria, which includes having more than 1,000 certified engineers, developing five MACH vendor partnerships, and working with five clients earning more than $1 billion in revenue.As MACH Alliance president <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a> observed, Accenture Song has shown an ability to partner with leading enterprises to deliver on the expectations of MACH – representing a high bar of achievement that only large, multi-national agencies and system integrators can achieve. “Accenture Song joining the Alliance will be of value to the MACH community and the wider member ecosystem,” Casper said. “We really believe that both current and future end-users will find great inspiration from the work of Accenture Song, and in particular, this experience will help them turn their strategies into high impact gameplans.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>“Runnin' Down a Dream” is wicked, but Tom Petty conjured a slew of memorable hits. This one, too, might live on forever: “Free Fallin’.” You can interpret the lyrics at your own discretion, but I've always felt it was a love song about Los Angeles wrapped in a cautionary tale about losing control.Whether it’s the rapid advancement of AI or economic uncertainty, change is the big mystery we’re all facing. How we prepare and adapt equips us to avoid a potential free fall – and we need vision, leadership, and a reliable set of guardrails to keep us from careening off the cliff.As more enterprises embrace composable architectures and strategies, having reputable, large-scale SIs join the chorus of support brings greater validation to the MACH movement. On the MACH journey, many organizations rely on the proven expertise of trusted SI partners, and having global brands like Accenture in the lineup provides greater choice from a widening range of credible system integrators.With a large staff and reliable infrastructure to support its technology and services, Accenture Song could also provide an enhanced template for accountability when building composable stacks. Like its GSI peers, it has amassed significant and compelling experience with multi-national brands and developed its own standards for success. This could mitigate more of the risk enterprises face when deploying composable architectures – which sometimes lack the proper mechanisms for supporting performance and sustainability. Amplifying thought leadership with a highly visible brand like Accenture also benefits the MACH community. As a member of the Alliance, Accenture Song has a clear charter to “champion the cause” through knowledge transfer and education. With a globally recognized brand and demonstrable market leadership, Accenture Song can leverage its own internal expertise and platform to further expand the MACH messaging. Accenture (the parent company) has a longstanding culture of change. But that change is coming from every direction – and faster than ever. As Accenture Song’s CEO <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.fastcompany.com/91262213/accenture-ceo-julie-sweet-and-david-droga-on-their-partnership">David Droga</a> observed in 2022, brands need to be moving at the “speed of life” to remain competitive. MACH itself might seem a bit of a mystery to some. There have certainly been examples of project failures and cost overruns that have led to a “MACHlash” in certain quarters (or what we might call a “free fall”). But Accenture Song could bring more of what the Alliance needs from both a validation and education perspective – and ultimately give businesses what they need to start runnin’ down their dreams. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Accenture Song brings its composable commerce ‘music’ to the MACH Alliance. Here’s why it matters

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Accenture Song brings its composable commerce ‘music’ to the MACH Alliance. Here’s why it matters