Going Cookie-Free

They’ll be gone soon, and Adobe is working to fill in the gap!

Since many browsers including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox will no longer be supporting Cookies — the method of data tracking used by brands and advertisers worldwide — by 2022, or 2023 thanks to some backlash, the world is currently on the lookout for something new — and Adobe may have the answer.

Cookies are being phased out largely due to privacy issues. This method of data tracking essentially chases users across the internet, logging the pathways they take and the kinds of things that they are interested in. It’s very valuable data for anyone working in marketing or advertising, and enables ad platforms to personalise their targeting to show users ads that fit with their interests. In an increasingly online world, this means that companies can find out a LOT of information about users, with little restriction.

This week however, Adobe has launched their Real-Time Customer Data Platform (CDP) to help brands collect first-party data, instead of having to rely on third party cookies. Steve Allison, head of audience and data technologies at Adobe points out how important this move is at this stage:

“It’s imperative for companies to recalibrate their customer acquisition strategies to place quality first-party data at the centre of all their customer engagements. This will allow brands to continue to have a single conversation with all visitors across their digital platforms.”

By collecting customer data in real time, Adobe can help deliver personalised content based on rules that brands define for themselves, thus allowing for greater transparency between brands and consumers. Anil Chakravarthy, Executive Vice President at Adobe highlights that this is the main focus of the new Adobe Real-Time CDP:

“As consumers, we now expect personalised brand experience while being in control of the data we share. With Adobe Real-Time CDP, we are partnering with brands to deliver relevant, responsive and respectful experiences through first-party data.”

Speaking to TechCrunch, Phil Regnault, Principal of Customer Transformation at PwC, and Ryan Fleisch, head of product marketing, Real-Time CDP, Adobe, point out that this is very much at the forefront of their launch too:

Regnault: The future of business is anchored in consumer trust. With consumer preferences as the foundation, companies can build trust with them by implementing a centralized privacy strategy aligned to consumer personas and journeys through a shared accountability framework across the organization. This includes a consistent and transparent privacy-first customer experience that includes easy-to-understand ways to consent to share data — plus allows for continuous monitoring of new compliance requirements.

Fleisch: Trust is a fundamental foundation for impactful customer relationships and experiences. To build trust, companies must adapt quickly to changing consumer expectations and be authentic and transparent.

Consumers are more privacy-aware and attentive to the data they share, and privacy regulations are continuously shifting. Companies investing in technologies now to build and reinforce trust through these changes are already seeing a competitive advantage.

So what does this mean for advertising? A recent survey of digital marketers suggests that despite optimism around the benefits of first-party data, marketers believe they have tapped only 47% of its potential. Despite this, Adobe’s model is making waves, in particular because it may give brands the opportunity to prove their dedication to privacy, and consumer-first behaviour.

“To rebuild that trust, brands don’t just need to be upfront about what data they collect and why they are collecting it; they also need to prove they can deliver better, more personalised experiences that clearly benefit customers” Allison points out, which seems to be the real test for new systems such as Adobe’s, and of the brands using them. After all, if the brands have more control of their data with first party systems, they also have the responsibility to handle that data correctly, and create the best content and user experiences possible for their audiences.