Google decision triggers warning of 'major signal loss'

The UK’s leading advertising and marketing industry bodies have pledged to work closely with Google following its decision not to scrap third-party cookies in Chrome, as fears grow of a repeat of Apple’s iOS 14.5 update in 2021, when millions of consumers ditched advertising.

Both agency body the IPA and the client body ISBA have waded into the debate following Google announcement on Monday evening.

And, while many in the industry have warned that the decision should not stop marketers from seeking alternatives, the trade bodies are demanding greater clarity.

The chair of the IPA Digital Media Group and digital partner at EssenceMediacom Amy Lawrence said: “Whilst Google’s announcement rippled around the industry on Monday evening, the initial shock that it wasn’t just another delay, swiftly turned into pragmatism on Tuesday morning.

“For a long time agencies have been working closely with their clients to ensure robust testing in this area, and this will continue with a multi-signal approach as essential as ever.

“Although not yet clear what the new ‘user choice’ will look like, it is safe to assume that we will see significant signal loss – with an obvious comparison being the release and subsequent impact of Apple’s iOS 14.5 in 2021.

“We will continue to leverage our relationships with Google to gain more clarity on the changes, all the while continuing to tread the testing path we have already laid out.”

Meanwhile, ISBA head of media Dan Larden added: “Google’s abandonment of deprecating third party cookies in Chrome is a significant development, although not entirely unexpected.

“Google’s high share of the browser market puts it in a unique position, requiring it to carefully balance the needs of consumers and business whilst ensuring any solutions do not unfairly favour its own business.

“Google has said it will instead put the decision in the hands of the user, by letting consumers decide for themselves whether they wish to accept third party cookies or not. As yet we don’t know how that choice will be presented to users.

“We will be working closely with Google to understand more about how these decisions will be made and then assessing what the implications will be to brands from a technical, policy and tactical point of view.”