In a move that left many nodding knowingly, Google has decided to keep third-party cookies around in Chrome. Instead of phasing them out, they’re letting users decide whether to keep or ditch cookies themselves. It's a bit like hitting the snooze button on an alarm clock—delay the inevitable and hope everything sorts itself out.
Google’s BRAN Approach: The Cookie Conundrum
Let’s break down Google’s decision using the BRAN framework, which I was taught by an obstetrician when my first child was born. It helps to make big, impactful decisions under pressure. Here’s how it looks in the case of whether they keep cookies or continue looking for a universally fair cookieless solution:
- Benefits (B): For Google, the benefits of keeping cookies are crystal clear. They get to maintain their advertising ecosystem’s effectiveness without much upheaval. For the rest of the industry? Not so much given the ‘appetite’ users have for keeping cookies enabled when given the choice.
- Risks (R): Without cookies, advertisers would face significant targeting and measurement challenges. By keeping cookies, Google avoids this chaos, at least for now until the market realises the further drop in measurement.
- Alternatives (A): Alternatives like ID5, LiveRamp ID, and UID are out there, but they need industry-wide effort and adoption to work effectively. Google’s decision delays the push toward these solutions.
- Nothing (N): By effectively choosing "nothing" and making cookie use optional, Google leaves the door open for users to opt out in droves. It’s a bit like Apple’s approach, where when given the choice, over 70% of users chose to disable tracking, leading to significant data loss for advertisers.
What This Means for Brands
Google’s decision to keep the cookie jar open a little longer puts brands in a tough spot. While it might seem like a nod to user privacy, the potential drop in available data is significant. Brands need to stay proactive:
- Audit Data Collection: Make sure your practices are transparent and secure (and compliant with the upcoming privacy laws in Australia)
- Leverage CRM Tools: Invest in platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce to manage your first-party data effectively.
- Innovate and Educate: Keep your teams ahead of the curve by adopting new tools and strategies.
Google’s choice to delay the end of cookies doesn’t change the future—it again just buys a little more time. This is yet another wake-up call for brands to double down on first-party data and privacy-centric strategies. The cookieless world is still coming, and those who prepare now will be the leaders in tomorrow’s digital advertising landscape. So, let’s get to work and make the most of this extended deadline.
LexLab director and founder Alfie Lagos