The demise of the cookie does not necessarily mean we need to find more advanced ways of…

The demise of the cookie does not necessarily mean we need to find more advanced ways of targeting users. It's an opportunity for the re-invention of digital.

Yes, the more granular our targeting goes, the less wastage we have across our media budget. But we’re very soon going to be in a world where hyper-personalisation is the norm.

What will set our ads apart then if we’re using the same precise data points, with an AI-optimised personalised creative?

The same as what it’s always been. Quality advertising.

The future of advertising isn't just who we reach, it's how deeply we resonate with them.

I hope that no longer relying on cookies doesn’t mean we spend all of our time trying to find other technical solutions.

Why can’t we find ways to create advertising which truly cuts through?

30 years ago, people would look forward to ad breaks on TV, almost as much as the programming. We didn’t rely on cookies, data clean rooms, precise targeting, or dynamic creatives, it was advertising which was simply entertaining that worked.

There’s still a massive opportunity for us to get brand building right across digital.

I don’t think we’re quite there. Has anyone ever seen a display ad and they can say it’s had an impact on their life? I doubt it.

But if other channels can do it, why can’t digital?

It’s not just about us refining our targeting, inventory, creatives or formats. We may need to rethink the whole user experience.

Consumers are open to seeing digital advertising when it’s done well and their data has been used ethically.

71% agree they’d have a more positive perspective of digital ads if they loaded quickly and didn’t force clicks or block content, they're also in agreement that annoying or intrusive ad experiences make them less likely to purchase from that brand.

Consumers don’t want to see hyper-personalised ads which are computer-generated.

People crave connection, not calculations.

We want to discover, not be dissected by algorithms that know us better than we know ourselves.

I feel we often overcomplicate the work we do and the process to get there.

An everyday person is going about their busy life, and for a short moment, you may have their attention. While there are hundreds of variables which may have taken us to this point, all the consumer sees is an ad. Within a split second, they’ll decide if the ad is worth their attention or move on with their day.

If the ad is not worth seeing, it doesn’t matter the work done to get to this point, the opportunity is wasted.

Our job would be a lot more simple if we put ourselves in the shoes of the consumer, who the reality is, has a negative attitude towards most advertising because they’re bombarded with it.

Ads are everywhere, fighting for our attention, but the best ones live rent-free in our minds. They don't sell products; they sell stories we can't forget.

Maybe the secret to standing out in today’s noise is not more data, but more creativity.