Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
Another Cookie Delay?
The third-party cookie might receive another stay of execution – and this time it wouldn’t be Google pushing the deadline.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) reiterated that Google won’t be allowed to kill cookies next year unless the CMA says it’s OK.
The CMA plans to implement a so-called “standstill period” during which it will conduct a final review of the competitive impact of Google’s Privacy Sandbox before Google can begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome next year. The standstill period will last at least 60 days, but could extend to 120 days.
In its report, the CMA is careful to point out that Google’s plan to deprecate cookies for 1% of Chrome traffic during the first half of 2024 is only to facilitate testing and doesn’t count as the official start of third-party cookie deprecation. It is, however, part of the standstill period.
During this time, the CMA will be working closely with Google and its competitors on testing and will solicit feedback from the industry on whether the Privacy Sandbox puts Google at an unfair advantage.
But don’t bet the farm on another delay. The CMA says, thus far, Google has been complying with its oversight. So, as long as Google keeps playing by the CMA’s rules, the death of the cookie will happen as planned.
Can Cords Cut Themselves?
Broadcasters want to be more programmatic – in the sense of serving ads live, dynamically and using data inputs.
But there are impediments, including upfront guarantees, the nature of linear TV content delivery and no addressable log files, to name a few.
AMC Networks, however, has a plan to introduce biddable linear inventory – which is still a jury-rigged solution, but about as close as the TV industry has come to open programmatic, Ad Age reports.
AMC will serve different ads simultaneously to separate homes that carry the same linear feeds via private marketplace campaigns, and with a handful of ad tech partners, such as FreeWheel, The Trade Desk and Canoe Ventures. For buyers, this approach fits into their typical programmatic workflow.
The broadcaster will open three ad spots per hour for programmatic buys on its three networks: AMC, BBC America and WeTV.
This is an important development because broadcasters seem to (finally) appreciate that their linear subscribers and high upfront ad prices are no longer worth cherishing – at least not at the expense of programmatic growth.
Don’t Blame It On Me
WPP is at it again – as in, lowering its full-year forecast.
The ad agency holdco adjusted its growth forecast downward to between 0.5% and 1%, which is even lower than the projection is shared during Q2 (between 1.5% and 3%) and Q1 (between 3% and 5%).
Tech clients continue to spend cautiously, CEO Mark Read told investors on Thursday. He cited the example of Meta, which just reduced its marketing spend by 24%.
This reduction in tech client marketing spend disproportionately affects the US, Read said, with GroupM’s media business hit particularly hard. GroupM’s growth declined sharply from 6.1% to 1.6% quarter over quarter in Q3.
“The issues we had in new business are primarily in the US, and without blaming GroupM, primarily within GroupM in the US,” Read said. But he downplayed the negative impact on WPP overall, since media comprises “only” about 37% of WPP’s business. Still, he acknowledged, “there’s work to be done.”
Read also defended WPP’s decision to combine well-known creative agencies Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R into VML, claiming the move “stabilized both businesses.”
But Wait, There’s More!
Comscore adds social media metrics to its digital audience measurement. [NextTV]
Cord cutting has Comcast hemorrhaging customers, but streaming and theme parks are a bright spot. [Bloomberg]
Her Campus Media, a publisher network that caters to college women, has acquired Gen Z influencer marketing platform Zfluence. [release]
How Google kept Apple from being competitive in search. [NYT]
New data shows that X’s engagement numbers have tanked in the year since Elon Musk bought the platform. [Axios]
You’re Hired!
Unilever promotes Esi Eggleston Bracey to chief growth and marketing officer. [WSJ]
