Over the past year, I've sat down with some of the most brilliant minds in the advertising and adtech industry. Let me tell you, it's been a rollercoaster of revelations. The titans of the industry are trembling, their knees knocking like a bad Vaudeville act, desperately clinging to the façade that all is well. Meanwhile, they’re throwing shade at companies actually solving problems.
The reality? Their business model
is already six feet under, and the third-party cookie saga is the grim reaper.
Ever since Google announced the impending demise of third-party cookies, the industry has been in a tailspin. The obsession over what Google or the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) will do next has been more entertaining than a soap opera. Yet, here we are, with the cookie’s execution postponed until 2025. It’s become a running joke, a punchline in adtech circles. Many
marketers, publishers, and adtech vendors sighed in relief at this latest delay, still clutching their beloved cookies like a toddler with a security blanket.
But let's get real. The cookie crumbled a long time ago. The wave of consumer privacy awareness crashed over us, and many users took back control. Research shows that 70% of users reject cookies, and 30% aren’t sharing user-level data. So, whether or not Google finally pulls the plug, we’re already living in
a privacy-first world. So why are so many marketers still in denial?
The Industry’s Love-Hate Relationship with Change
Change is tough. It’s no surprise that the barrage of changes in digital advertising over the past five years has left marketers dazed and confused. The privacy changes sting the most because the industry was built on the false promise that “everything is trackable.” Marketers have been
hooked on the unrestricted access to user data, and kicking that habit is like asking a coffee addict to switch to decaf. This seismic shift has turned the industry on its head, leaving many scrambling to find new ways to navigate this uncharted territory.
But here's the hard truth: digital advertising trampled over consumer privacy, and now consumers are fighting back. The sheer number of users blocking third-party cookies leaves marketers no choice but to embrace
privacy-first alternatives. Those who haven’t adapted are already lagging behind, facing a shrinking addressable audience and diminished effectiveness of their campaigns. It’s a rude awakening, but one that’s been a long time coming. The industry’s addiction to user data was unsustainable, and the reckoning is now upon us.
But let’s not forget about the "industry scumbags," those self-proclaimed experts who’ve barely cut their teeth in the adtech world yet parade
around as seasoned analysts. These guys are nothing more than prostitutes pretending to be analysts, hawking outdated advice and clinging to dying strategies. Their so-called expertise is a smokescreen, a desperate attempt to stay relevant in an industry that’s rapidly outgrowing them. It’s high time we call them out for what they are: charlatans.
These industry scumbags are not just misleading marketers; they’re actively harming the progress of adtech. They’ve
created an echo chamber of misinformation, convincing brands to stick with outdated methods that are no longer effective. This resistance to change is toxic, stifling innovation and making it harder for real experts to push the industry forward.
It’s crucial for marketers to discern the difference between genuine expertise and the hollow proclamations of these self-serving phonies.
It’s almost comical—are they really that scared of someone talking to various companies that are driving change? The lengths to which these voices are going to maintain the status quo is telling. It’s a desperate attempt to cling to an outdated model, one that is rapidly losing relevance in a
privacy-conscious world.
Embracing the New Reality
To track users and serve targeted ads, marketers need user consent on both the publisher and advertiser sides. Spoiler alert: it’s not happening at the levels needed for successful advertising. Many users are becoming increasingly savvy about their privacy rights and are opting out of tracking whenever given the choice. Brands and publishers still clinging to old
methods are facing shrinking addressable audiences. This lack of user consent creates a significant barrier to effective targeting and measurement, forcing marketers to rethink their strategies in this new privacy-first landscape.
And it’s only going to get worse. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is pushing for publishers to offer a ‘reject all cookies’ option. If this goes through, cookie-based targeting will take an even bigger hit. Publishers will be
compelled to provide clear, straightforward options for users to decline tracking, which will likely result in a further reduction of available data for advertisers. This regulatory push underscores the necessity for the industry to evolve beyond cookies and find more sustainable, privacy-compliant methods of audience engagement and measurement.
When Google’s Privacy Sandbox finally sees daylight, the situation will become even more challenging. This initiative
aims to create a set of privacy-preserving APIs to replace third-party cookies, but it also means that every competitor ad platform will suffer from a lack of accurate targeting data. The playing field will shift dramatically, leaving those reliant on user-level attribution scrambling to maintain their advertising effectiveness. The reduced granularity of data will challenge traditional targeting methods, pushing the industry to innovate or face obsolescence.
As
the industry grapples with these changes, it's clear that the old ways of tracking and targeting are no longer viable. The shift towards privacy-first solutions is not just a trend but a necessity. Marketers and publishers must invest in new technologies and strategies that respect user privacy while still delivering effective advertising. Embracing alternatives like contextual targeting, first-party data strategies, and advanced analytics will be crucial. Those who adapt will find new
opportunities in this evolving landscape, while those who resist will struggle to keep up as the adtech world moves forward.
Admitting Defeat: The Only Way Forward
Let’s face it, the cookie is already dead. Accepting this is the first step to recovery. The technology exists to target and measure campaigns without relying on user-level data. Marketers just need to be open-minded enough to try new solutions. They have
no choice. The cookie may still be lingering, but for all practical purposes in digital advertising, it’s already a ghost.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but savvy brands are already using a mix of methodologies to thrive in this new landscape. Campaign level attribution, always-on incrementality, and media mix modeling (MMM) are just a few tools that, when used effectively, can provide clear insights in a privacy-safe manner. These brands are not just
surviving the death of the cookie; they’re thriving.
The End is Just the Beginning
The death of the cookie isn’t the end of digital advertising. It’s an opportunity to evolve, to innovate, and to find even more successful ways of working. The future of adtech is bright for those willing to adapt. Marketers, it’s time to stop clutching your pearls and embrace the change. Long live adtech!
Check out our interview with Marc Guldimann, one of those guys making changes in the right direction.
