How updates to privacy can re-fuel the art of creativity

Was 2021 the year of the cookie? Digital cookies are, by definition, small blocks of data created by a web server while a user is browsing a website, which are placed on a user’s device by the web browser. Websites and apps are now required to disclose what types of cookies are being used. Depending on the type of cookie, such as a third-party advertising cookie, the reaction from users differs and consumers can often opt out of cookie tracking completely.  

With the vast amount of information available around this, where does a creative team start? Many of the conversations around privacy have been focused on e-commerce, however there is a much larger impact on how we tell stories today. More than 75 per cent of consumers now demand more relevancy from brands and almost all consumers agree that personalization of online websites make for a better user experience. So, how can you be relevant as a brand with less access to personal data? Creativity is at the core of this solution, and is an incredible area for learning, testing and optimization.

Large digital ecosystems are built and are reacting differently. 

It’s important to know the reasons behind this topic’s complexity. There are several different moving pieces. 

Apple has always been a company whose devices are central to its business. Advertising, on the other hand, has not historically been a critical part of its business. Therefore, it was one of the first to support ad blockers and removed most data collection from its software. Apple believes in a cookieless future.

Google on the other hand is one of the largest advertising partners in the world and believes that while privacy is important, data still has a critical role to play in delivering the right content in the right context.

Amazon has skipped the third-party cookie and built one of the largest first-party databases, allowing for personalization and an understanding of what consumers might buy next. 

Publishers also rely heavily on cookies. Many of the large internet domains, including news companies, have been able to make strong display networks from their cookies across the web, creating an additional stream of revenue and a better profile of their consumers.

So how can creative crack this issue?

1. You don’t need personal data to be personal. Anyone who may have embarked on a dynamic creative exercise will know that even with 1,000 permutations, if the product doesn’t resonate, you won’t see incremental results. Instead, focus on occasions versus demographics. Annual events and occasions invoke strong connections. This means your creative strategy is less about the individual and more about the purpose of your product. Kit Kat has done this by focusing their advertising on giving and celebration. This past holiday, they even offered a personalized Kit Kat Christmas tree. If you can connect your product to what matters to the consumer, your creative will be personal and your media will drive increased ROI.
2. With an estimate of 30 per cent of ads now being blocked online, you must create both snackable and long form content to connect in different environments. How long should an ad be? Well, it depends. If you are in an environment where quick content is being consumed, go short. If you can tell a longer story, it will go a long way in ad recall. There are also opportunities online to tell an interactive story if you work in a category where interest is high, such as retail. Experiment with your teams and build a measurement plan that ensures each tactic has the right KPI and ensures that everything connects to your overall business outcomes.
3. Creative partnerships are having a (renewed) moment. Product placement and sponsorships are not new, however for many years, they were viewed as a distraction from your core brand creative. With recent partnerships like Hyundai and Spider-Man promoting the new IONIQ 5 electric car, we see that it’s an incredible way to gain share of mind without requiring data. If you know your consumer has trust in another brand, you can borrow this equity. If done well, it will benefit both brands instantly.

These three examples showcase the many ways that creative will help fuel effectiveness as web tracking with cookies gets phased out. We cannot wait to see what is cooked up and produced.

Sources and additional information can be found here:
eMarketer: Privacy as a Competitive Advantage
Accenture Consumer Pulse Survey
Statista: Canadians Blocking Digital Ads