I think I speak for everyone when I say that I am over this death of the cookie talk. The fact is, a third of online ads are already being served in anonymous environments. That's billions of impressions being served blind, every day.

This takes advertising back to the early 90s, where marketers relied on vague algorithms and low consumer expectations. It could undo the whole digital marketing ecosystem.

Those figures effectively make Google’s deferring the sun setting of cookies to 2024 a moot point. In this day and age, why would we accept throwing so much of our media spend at a wall in the hope that someone vaguely relevant sees it? If you’re not already looking for a solution, you’re behind the curve.

Identity is important – if done respectfully, people like advertising customised and targeted to them, and advertisers get better bang for their buck when they are able to do this. Over two-thirds of consumers (66 per cent) expect personalised experiences from brands they share data with, and more than half (50 per cent) want real-time offers relevant to them.

The industry has had some practice in solving the problems of anonymised environments, with Apple’s iOS14 update a prime example, giving consumers the choice to opt out of tracking based on mobile advertiser IDs.

Grey area

If you want to see into these anonymised areas of the internet, now and into the future, it requires wholly owned, ethically sourced and privacy compliant first-party data. Every business’ data capabilities are different, so going it alone really isn’t going to be an option for anyone.

It’s probably worth explaining why those three attributes are so vital to any solution in the future.

Let’s start with wholly owned. It’s quite simple, if you don’t own the data, then there’s a strong chance it can be ripped away from you at any moment. Governments across the world are updating their privacy and data legislation, and data sharing or monetisation is going to be difficult and even risky.

In fact there are already question marks as to whether some common data sharing practices are compliant with current regulations already. But you can be sure in the future the structures around this are going to be even tighter.

Remember, regulators don’t care about your ability to target, they care about the consumer’s online wellbeing

Ethics gradient

Ethically sourced means the entity capturing the data has been explicit and upfront in what they are doing, and either asked for consent or given the consumer the chance to opt out.

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) research shows most CMOs (92 per cent) at global companies are prioritising an ethical approach to how they are using data, but half are unsure what this means, and are ignorant to the processes and practices they will need to implement internally and across their marketing supply chains.

With 61 per cent of consumers only willing to share their data if required, brands need to rethink their targeting and personalisation strategies. What are you offering them in return, and what wording are you using to get them to opt-in. Asking people if you can track their activity is a surefire way to get them to opt-out. It’s creepy. Let them know why it benefits them.

The necessity for this data ethics comes down to goodwill and understanding. The better and more transparent our practices as an industry, the more consumers will come to trust when we ask them for something we need. It’s a long-term game, and one we are all invested in.

Optus effect

Privacy compliance is vital – because privacy is security in the minds of consumers. Given the recent Optus and Medibank breaches, security is more in the minds of consumers than ever before – with 86 per cent of consumers now saying data privacy is a growing concern.

Consumers want businesses to take the lead in implementing data responsibility, and it’s up to marketers to assure consumers on how they are collecting, using, and protecting their data.

Failure to do so could present a risk of losing access to valuable data insights – at a minimum!

Addressable issue

We’ve already seen the impact all of the above is having through our own alternative identifier – Yahoo ConnectID, which uses consent-based, first-party data to bring audiences to life in a world without cookies. Data can also be obtained consensually through user sign-up processes, giving consumers the choice to set their own terms and conditions and feel in control of their data use.

The next major advantage in the marketing battleground lies with the non-addressable. If we think about that stat I cited at the start of this piece – that Yahoo data shows 30 per cent of ads across the region are now shown without an identifier – it is overwhelming proof that people are opting out in droves.

As marketers, it’s up to us to strike a perfect balance between protecting users' data and delivering a holistic advertising experience. We need to take the lead in establishing corporate data responsibility and explore new data avenues that provide a benefit to consumers.