Trust, not cookies: Download LiveRamp’s e-book to prepare for the cookieless future

There’s no denying that the 2020 pandemic has resulted in some unexpected consequences for the digital marketing ecosystem. Publishers have enjoyed record traffic as readers hunt down the latest coronavirus news, while simultaneously being faced with declining CPMs and reduced advertising spend as CMOs slash budgets and pull campaigns in an attempt to weather the COVID-19 storm.

But alongside these relentless challenges, there is another storm brewing just under the surface: the demise of the third-party cookie. A wave of reforms, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and various browser- and device-based privacy initiatives from Google and Apple, among others, are forcing marketers and publishers to contemplate a future without third-party cookies and other common identifiers (e.g., mobile IDs).

It’s tempting to look at cookie depreciation as something to fear. After all, without cookies, traditional data-driven workflows including retargeting, site personalisation and audience insights simply won’t work.

But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that change, however uncomfortable, can be a forcing function for real and necessary innovation, often at an accelerated pace. The industry has been enjoying the sugar rush for far too long: it’s finally time to realise that when it comes to third-party cookies, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.