4 Minutes with Google’s Tobias Kellner: How to Engage Users Whilst Respecting Their Privacy

As any smart marketer knows, a critical factor in attracting and retaining customers is earning their trust. In fact, according to the 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer, brand trust is the second-most important purchasing factor for brands. The more trust in a brand, the more users are willing to share their personal information — giving the brand valuable first-party data to engage users more effectively.

The digital advertising ecosystem, led by Google, is working towards an era of greater trust and transparency by moving away from third-party tracking cookies. With Google planning to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome by 2024, the company is rolling out a vision for the digital future in which marketers are able to reach consumers as effectively as they do today, but with much greater respect for the user’s privacy.

Underpinning Google’s plans for the future of digital marketing is the Privacy Sandbox, an initiative to collaborate with the digital ecosystem in developing privacy-first alternatives to third-party cookies and other tracking methods. The project aims to help marketers navigate the changing regulatory environment and meet the evolving expectations of users.

At DMEXCO, Europe’s leading digital marketing and technology event, Google is scheduled to discuss the Privacy Sandbox in various forums, including a keynote address in which Matt Brittin, President of Google EMEA, and Hanne Tuomisto-Inch, Head of Privacy & Chrome Partnerships for Google EMEA, will discuss rethinking the digital future to enhance the ads-supported web.

To help mobile marketers prepare for the new digital landscape envisioned by Google, we chatted with Tobias Kellner, Industry Relations Lead for Google Germany. Tobias has more than a decade of experience in the digital industry, both at IBM and Google, and has held key roles in consulting, sales, marketing, and go-to-market strategies. At Google Germany, he is responsible for managing the company’s activities amongst advertising trade groups, with the goal of furthering Google’s contributions to a responsible advertising ecosystem.

During an exclusive video interview with MMA Germany Chief Content Officer Peggy Anne Salz, Tobias shared insights on how the Privacy Sandbox initiative can help digital marketers reach customers on multiple platforms, including mobile apps, without the use of third-party cookies. He also provided important updates on the project’s timeline and testing opportunities for ad tech, developers, and other parties in the ecosystem. In particular, he encouraged MMA Germany members to participate in the available feedback channels, because input from the MMA is key to the development of the Privacy Sandbox.

Check out the full interview with Tobias here.