Living in a Cookieless World: We’ve Been Doing It For A While!

Let's talk about some undeniable truths in this world – death, taxes, and the fact that the advertising world freaks out about cookies at least once a year. Well, guess what? It looks like the last holdouts of third party cookie tracking are finally making their exit this year. While the industry debates replacements and what's better, we're asking, "What's the big issue?"

GDPR Changed The Landscape Long Before Cookieless

With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we've been working in the explicit consent world for a while. In this realm, it didn't matter if you used cookies, fingerprints, or whatever fancy tech – you needed to make sure you had the appropriate rights and a way to keep tabs on it all.

We’ll admit there was a bit of a learning curve with GDPR, but in the end, most of the fear turned out to be a bit overblown. The real game-changer? An uptick in how and where data was used. Cue the rise of customer data platforms (CDPs) gaining popularity thanks to GDPR. Having a single hub for your users not only makes it easy to meet legal requirements but also helps you keep a close eye on where your data is housed.

When GDPR first took effect, we immediately saw a huge shift in spending going to walled gardens. With their massive first party data sets, it was natural; however, this left everyone else scrambling to adjust and catch up with their own data. Those who didn’t, well, they aren’t around anymore.

Doing What We Should Have Done From The Start

The shift meant companies started gathering their own first-party data, and suddenly, relying on third party data became less of a priority. A win-win, if you ask us! With first-party data, we could actually check the quality of the data, something sorely lacking in the world of third party. Goodbye, fake users, like bots and crawlers – no more wasting money retargeting them. We should have been doing this all along. Relying on third party, whether it's through cookies or any other method, was like using a rusty compass for performance. Accuracy issues were like that annoying friend who never seems to leave. The thing is, we were kind of lazy and resistant to change, so we ended up stuck with these not-so-reliable proxies.

But guess what? We've hit refresh with first-party data. It's like upgrading from that rusty compass to a shiny GPS. We've moved from a predictive response model to a direct response model, putting us right in the game alongside the big dogs – Google and Facebook. No more playing catch-up; we're on the same playing field now, making moves and shaking things up. It's all about ditching the old, embracing the new, and leveling up our game.

Alright, let's get serious for a moment. We found ourselves asking, "Why did it take us so long to get here?" But the more pressing question is, "Where can this new path lead us?" It's like discovering a shortcut in a maze and wondering why you didn't stumble upon it earlier. Now that we're here, we are fully embracing the possibilities!

True Attribution Unlocked With Cheil A+

And here comes the holy grail – holistic attribution. While measuring conversions has been around for a while, the solution was often a last-touch or last-click approach, tying credit for user actions to whoever they interacted with last or data driven attribution models that only took certain channels into account. But what if we could break free from that limitation?

With the traditional customer data platforms (CDPs), we could dip into our buying data, sure, but it was a bit like having a snapshot without the full picture. There was only so much we could do. Cue the entrance of the Cheil A+ CDP, our very own superhero in this data game. Suddenly, linking media impressions back to measurable business outcomes became business as usual.

The Cheil A+ Total Attribution System

Enter the Total Attribution System (TAS for short), our secret sauce. Now, we're not just seeing data; we're creating a true conversion funnel. We can follow a user's journey across our advertising campaigns and buying platforms – did it take three ads before conversion, or just one? What sites did the user see ads on without engaging, and how did that play into the grand conversion scheme? It's like having a backstage pass to the whole show.

But wait, there's more! Our Cheil A+ CDP doesn't just stop there. It lets us play detective, figuring out contextual interests, retargeting users, and here's the kicker – it integrates with other cookieless solutions like ID5. It's like having a versatile tool in our arsenal, ready to tackle whatever the advertising world throws our way. The Cheil A+ CDP isn't just data tracking; it's a game-changer, opening up a world of possibilities for us.

In The End Its Always About Privacy and Consent

Let’s be honest, handing over the reins for monitoring user consent to a third party can feel a bit like letting someone else manage your bank account. Yes, they might give it their best shot, but if things go south, guess who's left dealing with the aftermath? Yep, it’s you. Real power over performance kicks in when you take charge of your responsibilities directly. It's about facing the challenges head-on, not passing the baton and hoping for the best. After all, who knows your business and users better than you? Time to keep the control where it belongs – in your capable hands.

So, how do you survive and thrive in a cookieless world? Shift your mindset – it's not just a technology problem, it's a privacy problem. We have shown that effective use of first-party data can significantly improve media performance. Let's embrace it!

Democratize the Power of Performance

Cheil A+ provides advanced audience intelligence, empowering your media activation with a hyperfocus on performance and transparency.

https://aplus.cheilmedia.com

Contact aplus@cheil.com to learn more.