Comments on: Akamai Pixel-Free Audience Targeting Now Available Says CTO Afergan http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/eating-the-cookie-pixel-free-audience-targeting-now-available-says-akamai-cto-afergan/ Digital media optimization news and discussion website. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:33:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Zach Coelius http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/eating-the-cookie-pixel-free-audience-targeting-now-available-says-akamai-cto-afergan/#comment-2630 Zach Coelius Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:23:22 +0000 http://www.adexchanger.com/?p=9512#comment-2630 Yep, I guess we are in agreement. Yep, I guess we are in agreement.

]]> By: Pete http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/eating-the-cookie-pixel-free-audience-targeting-now-available-says-akamai-cto-afergan/#comment-2620 Pete Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:42:28 +0000 http://www.adexchanger.com/?p=9512#comment-2620 @Zach: "Data collection is data collection irregardless of if a pixel is used." Couldn't agree more - in fact, that's what I was trying to convey. My point was that advertisers who don't realize this may run afoul of their own privacy guidelines. @Zach: "Data collection is data collection irregardless of if a pixel is used."

Couldn't agree more - in fact, that's what I was trying to convey.

My point was that advertisers who don't realize this may run afoul of their own privacy guidelines.

]]> By: Zach Coelius http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/eating-the-cookie-pixel-free-audience-targeting-now-available-says-akamai-cto-afergan/#comment-2619 Zach Coelius Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:52:00 +0000 http://www.adexchanger.com/?p=9512#comment-2619 Pete, Data collection is data collection irregardless of if a pixel is used. Just because Akamai can drop and read a cookie at the CDN level, they are still collecting and using data and still fall under FTC guidelines. What this is really all about is the ease of implementing. Ever tried to get lots of pixels placed? Big pain in the arse. Akamai has made that really simple. Hats off to them. Zach Pete,
Data collection is data collection irregardless of if a pixel is used. Just because Akamai can drop and read a cookie at the CDN level, they are still collecting and using data and still fall under FTC guidelines. What this is really all about is the ease of implementing. Ever tried to get lots of pixels placed? Big pain in the arse. Akamai has made that really simple. Hats off to them.

Zach

]]> By: Pete http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/eating-the-cookie-pixel-free-audience-targeting-now-available-says-akamai-cto-afergan/#comment-2612 Pete Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:52:57 +0000 http://www.adexchanger.com/?p=9512#comment-2612 Hah - I love it. Akamai is selling retailers their own data and calling it CPA. At least that's a step up from when I last looked at this program, when they were charging an arm and a leg in CPM. The potential issue with this technique is going to be the same as with normal site retargeting: privacy. The latest FTC guidelines suggest some very stringent restrictions around the use of so-called third party behavioral advertising, especially on the site collecting the data - in this case, the retailer. (See FTC Staff Report, Self Regulatory Principles For Online Behavioral Advertising pp. 46-47) There are many companies out there that have chosen not to lay down pixels for exactly these privacy considerations. Often, these companies have accompanied such choices with implied long term business policies that prohibit future pixel use. I'll bet you $$$ that more than one marketing department and its agency will use this "pixel-free" technology to stay within the letter of the law, while (unknowingly?) trampling on its intent. If you're an advertiser using this technology because your legal guys didn't like pixels - hate to say it, but they're not going to like this much either. All that said, I have to admit, this is a BRILLIANT extension of Akamai's core business. Bravo to the whoever came up with it. Hah - I love it. Akamai is selling retailers their own data and calling it CPA.

At least that's a step up from when I last looked at this program, when they were charging an arm and a leg in CPM.

The potential issue with this technique is going to be the same as with normal site retargeting: privacy. The latest FTC guidelines suggest some very stringent restrictions around the use of so-called third party behavioral advertising, especially on the site collecting the data - in this case, the retailer. (See FTC Staff Report, Self Regulatory Principles For Online Behavioral Advertising pp. 46-47)

There are many companies out there that have chosen not to lay down pixels for exactly these privacy considerations. Often, these companies have accompanied such choices with implied long term business policies that prohibit future pixel use. I'll bet you $$$ that more than one marketing department and its agency will use this "pixel-free" technology to stay within the letter of the law, while (unknowingly?) trampling on its intent.

If you're an advertiser using this technology because your legal guys didn't like pixels - hate to say it, but they're not going to like this much either.

All that said, I have to admit, this is a BRILLIANT extension of Akamai's core business. Bravo to the whoever came up with it.

]]>