The nightmare before cookieless reality

The consequences of not being prepared

As the cookieless future approaches, varying opinions on the best ways to prepare have emerged. However, there is one thing everybody seems to agree on: the end of third-party cookies poses a significant challenge for brands globally and can bring substantial repercussions for those who aren’t adequately prepared. But what does this look like? While we are all aware of the potential disaster, the consequences awaiting unprepared brands and marketers might not be as clear to everyone.

We believe that the best way to illustrate the repercussions is through a story. Let’s take a glimpse into the situation of a fictional Chief Marketing Officer on the night of January 4th, the day when 1% of cookies will be phased out in Chrome. As the marketing leader of a prominent travel brand, Anna finds herself plagued by a haunting dream about the consequences of her brand’s unpreparedness for the demise of third-party cookies.
 

The cookieless nightmare unfolds

In our CMO's dream, it’s December 2024. Anna awakens to the ringing of her phone, the CEO on the line, urgently requesting her presence in an emergency meeting. The atmosphere at the office is tense, the boardroom heavy with concern as the CEO reveals the disheartening news - the brand’s bookings have plummeted by over 20%.

Panic grips Anna as she rushes to gather her marketing experts, data analysts, and tech team to understand the cause behind this sudden decline. Her team delivers the alarming updates:

• Targeting & retargeting dysfunction: The brand’s targeting and retargeting strategies are malfunctioning without third-party cookies. The inability to effectively reach and engage with potential customers in the absence of cookies has severely impacted the brand’s ability to find the right audiences and convert leads into bookings
   
• Ad frequency chaos: Brand awareness campaigns continue to run, but they are in disarray. The absence of third-party cookies has rendered frequency capping ineffective, resulting in the same ads bombarding individuals repeatedly. The lack of tailored targeting has led to an inefficient allocation of resources and is irritating potential customers
   
• Measurement & attribution failure: Anna discovers that the brand’s measurement and attribution models have collapsed due to the absence of third-party cookies. The inability to accurately track and attribute conversions and customer journeys has left the brand in the dark, unable to gauge the effectiveness of its marketing efforts

As Anna grapples with the startling revelations, her thoughts drift to the assurances she received from the media agency. They had vehemently advocated working with specific tech partners and cookieless alternatives, claiming they were best equipped to support the brand in their transition. Yet, as her team delves deeper, it becomes evident that in this instance the assurances were unfounded.
 

Awakening to the cookieless reality

Anna’s story has a happy ending. As dawn breaks on January 4th, 2024, Anna awakens realising it was just a bad dream. Determined to ensure that her brand doesn’t succumb to such a fate, Anna dedicates Q1 to learning about the alternatives, testing methodologies, and the intricacies of preparing for a cookieless landscape. She also commits to guiding her team through the necessary transformations to ensure that the brand is genuinely prepared for the end of cookies.
 

Embracing the cookieless present

We want every brand’s cookieless journey to culminate with a positive outcome. Anna’s nightmarish glimpse could serve as a wake-up call for advertisers preparing for the imminent end of third-party cookies. Just like every tale, this story reveals crucial lessons and guidance for brands on the importance of:

• Knowledge acquisition & collaboration: Prioritise education and upskilling within teams. Understanding cookieless alternatives, testing methodologies, and the implications of the post-cookie era is critical. Marketing leaders must foster collaborative environments where internal teams and external partners share knowledge and expertise, ensuring alignment and readiness
   
• Selective partnerships: When selecting technology partners and cookieless alternatives, prioritise those with demonstrated effectiveness in their solutions and integrations. The demise of third-party cookies has been hanging over us for years now. Reliable partners have worked on solutions for years and should demonstrate a track record of successful outcomes
   
• Thorough testing: Solutions that work for other companies might not seamlessly fit your requirements. While having partners showcasing success stories is beneficial, it’s vital to test their efficacy within your campaigns. There’s still time to validate your tech stack’s capabilities and ensure you’ve selected the right allies

The end of third-party cookies ushers in a new dawn for digital marketing. For brands, it’s not about weathering the storm, but about seizing the opportunity to redefine their strategies and emerge stronger in the cookieless world.