While many marketers were breathing a little easier this week following Google’s decision to once again delay third-party cookie deprecation, “this is NOT a reprieve,” said our analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. “The industry just has more time to reach the finish line. Let’s not squander it.”
Here are four important takeaways from the delay:
1. This news is no surprise
“Candidly this [announcement] has been met widely with a bit of a playful eyeroll,” said Valerie Schlosser, group director for paid search at VML. “The industry has been preparing for this for almost five years. Back in 2020, it lit a fire under conversations we were already having about the need to diversify channel tactics, break down silos, and reduce dependency on third-party data,”
2. The delayed timeline is a good thing
“Google saying, ‘This is going to take more time to do it right,’ is a good thing,” said Colleen Harris, director and product manager at Ansira. “The shift to removing the third-party cookie is such a huge data change that it must be done correctly, which means taking the time to analyze data and make changes as necessary.”
“Google’s new timeline helps the industry continue to test and adapt. Beyond even cookies, non-addressable inventory will only increase, and the industry should act now to prepare for these changes,” said Adam Roodman, senior vice president of product strategy and management at Yahoo.
“This stands in stark contrast to Apple, who are cynically painting publishers who rely on advertising dollars as villains so they can drive audiences to Apple-owned platforms,” said Matt Keiser, founder and CEO at LiveIntent.
3. Consumer interests will lead the charge away from cookies
“Protecting consumer privacy while preserving a competitive advertising market is going to be quite the balancing act,” said Mitchell-Wolf.
“Consumer awareness and desire to have more ownership of their data may drive cookieless adoption more than any platform timelines,” said Sisi Zhang, chief data and analytics officer at Razorfish.
4. Cookies will still go away, so privacy-compliant data is more important than ever
“We’re encouraging marketers to lean into their first-party data strategies, and to adopt identity solutions that break free from reliance on third-party cookies to ensure they remain competitive in an evolving landscape,” said Jon Schulz, CMO, Viant Technology.
“Google’s decision has zero impact on the trajectory for retail media. The biggest brands are already using retail purchase data to inform audience and measurement strategies. Third-party cookies are in our rear-view mirror,” said Cara Pratt, senior vice president at Kroger Precision Marketing.
“Marketers should take this extra time as a cue to proactively adapt. Focusing now on technologies that analyze the digital environment rather than the consumer—like contextual and intent-based advertising—will prepare them for a future where consumer privacy is paramount,” said Uri Lichter, CEO of Intango.
This was originally featured in the EMARKETER Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.
