Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Petal Ads and Tourism Malaysia have recently signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC), marking a significant step forward in their strategic partnership to promote Malaysian tourism in China. The agreement underscores a shared commitment to leveraging digital tools and full-scenario marketing to attract Chinese travelers and enhance their experience in Malaysia.
The collaboration aims to support Malaysia’s digital tourism transformation by integrating Petal Ads’ all-scenario digital marketing solutions. These tools will be used to build Malaysia’s tourism brand more effectively in the Chinese market, with a focus on providing a smarter, more seamless travel experience for Chinese tourists.
Huawei SkyTone was also officially named the roaming data service provider for Tourism Malaysia, a move that is expected to enable more dynamic collaboration in the areas of marketing and customer experience. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Malaysian Minister of Tourism YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Tourism Malaysia Director General YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, and Huawei Global Ecosystem Vice President Howard Wu.
This renewed collaboration follows a successful 2024 campaign in which Petal Ads utilised precision advertising, flagship store activations, and experiential events to spotlight Malaysia’s natural and cultural attractions. Chinese tourists received exclusive benefits such as free SkyTone roaming data vouchers and special offers from local merchants, initiatives that improved satisfaction and boosted visibility for Malaysian destinations, hotels, and attractions.
Looking ahead, the partnership will expand its focus to include localised storytelling through global visual campaigns, user-generated content, and immersive offline events. These initiatives aim to deepen engagement and enhance Malaysia’s image as a travel destination among Chinese consumers.
Moreover, SkyTone will continue to offer tailored roaming data packages and collaborate with local businesses to provide discounts on accommodations and attractions. The SkyTone app will feature a “Destination Guide” with curated travel content, ensuring that users have access to high-quality recommendations and seamless connectivity throughout their journey.
As part of the promotional efforts, KOLs will be engaged to produce immersive content, including vlogs and travel narratives that highlight Malaysia’s diverse tourism offerings. In tandem with the ITB China event, the Huawei Southeast Asia User Photography Exhibition is also underway in Shanghai and features work by Huawei device users from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. The exhibition offers Chinese audiences a vivid window into the region’s natural beauty and cultural depth, further reinforcing emotional connections to the Malaysian brand.
Both Petal Ads and Tourism Malaysia expressed optimism about the future of the partnership, emphasising continued innovation and expanded reach through digital platforms. Petal Ads plans to scale up its global marketing network and enhance its services to help Malaysia—and the broader tourism sector—flourish in the digital era.
Singapore – Technology platform FreeWheel has forged a partnership with media company Innity to boost media buying across CTV and premium digital video. It aims to provide brands with access to curated CTV and premium video audiences across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.
The partnership will see FreeWheel combining its advertising technology with Innity’s local market expertise. Through the collaboration, Innity’s clients can connect with premium video sellers across markets in the region. This includes Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.
FreeWheel’s streaming hub offers advertisers access to premium video inventory, made seamless through a single entry point. The platform enables advertisers to connect efficiently with global buyers and sellers, maximising outcomes.
Additionally, the partnership will allow advertisers to reach key audience segments in the automotive, finance, FMCG, and lifestyle industries.
“This strategic partnership with Innity aligns with our global vision to deliver simplified and unified advertising experiences for advertisers and addresses some of the industry’s key needs: removing unnecessary friction in media buying, improving addressability, and driving greater return for marketers,” said Alvin Tan, commercial director, APAC at FreeWheel.
“This collaboration comes at a crucial time as advertisers seek to capitalise on the rapid growth of CTV and streaming in the region, through the right balance of quality inventory and campaign efficiency. We’re excited to partner with FreeWheel to offer brands a smarter, more scalable way to connect with audiences. This partnership also aligns with our broader vision to expand our video and CTV offerings and help our partners thrive in a streaming-first future,” Fabian Looa, COO and co-founder at Innity, commented.
If a brand’s media strategy is still chasing conversions, then it’s not leading—it’s being led. Measuring marketing effectiveness through last-click attribution is like judging a football match based solely on the final goal. Yes, the score matters. But what about the positioning, the teamwork, the creative flair, and the strategy that led to it? That’s where the magic—and the meaning—happens.
Today’s marketers are caught in a performance feedback loop, intoxicated by dashboards that glow with real-time data: clicks, conversions, cost-per-acquisition. These numbers provide a sense of certainty, a tangible result to justify investment. But they fail to capture the nuance of human behaviour. Real influence doesn’t reside in spreadsheets—it lives in memory, emotion, culture, and context.
“What changed the customer’s mind might not be the last thing they saw, but the first thing they felt.”
The Real Work Happens in the Middle
Consumer journeys aren’t funnels anymore. They’re not neat or linear. They’re chaotic, emotional, deeply personal—and heavily shaped by relevance and timing. A single Instagram post might spark curiosity. A recommendation from a friend might deepen trust. A nostalgic moment during a subway ride might ignite connection. But legacy attribution models reward only the last touch, ignoring the subtle, strategic layers that built momentum.
The player who scores gets the headline, but it’s the invisible buildup—the pass, the opening run, the defensive decoy—that truly shaped the outcome. Likewise, marketing ROI isn’t the product of one click. It’s collaborative. It’s cumulative. And it deserves to be measured that way.
Offline Media: The Power We Keep Ignoring
In many Asian markets, offline media is often seen as a legacy channel—glossy, expensive, hard to track. Not because it lacks impact, but because it doesn’t integrate neatly with digital dashboards. That’s a blind spot. A dangerous one.
In high-context societies—like much of Asia—presence is power. Physical visibility often carries more social weight than a digital banner ever could. The where and how a brand appears in the physical world—train stations, flagship stores, airports, billboards—signals more than awareness. It signals intent, identity, and cultural relevance.
Offline media isn’t background noise. It’s a stage. A story. A strategic signal.
Transit Advertising: Japan Sets the Global Standard
Japan’s approach to offline media is a masterclass in cultural integration. In cities like Tokyo and Osaka, transit advertising is not an interruption—it’s embedded into the urban aesthetic. It becomes part of the commute, part of the routine, part of people’s everyday lives.
Shibuya Station is a prime example. When Netflix transformed Harajuku into Hawkins, Indiana to promote Stranger Things, it wasn’t just a campaign—it was a cultural moment. Apple’s Marunouchi flagship store reflects both traditional Japanese craftsmanship and global design precision, becoming a destination in its own right.
Fashion houses like Dior and Louis Vuitton don’t wrap trains in Tokyo to drive impulse purchases. They do it to project aspiration and artistry. These carriages become moving canvases. Meanwhile, local giants like Sony and SoftBank use the same platforms to reinforce identity and national pride.
“In Japan, the commute isn’t just transit—it’s theatre. When done right, it becomes an immersive experience that lodges itself in memory.”
Lessons From the Field: Memory Over Metrics
Years ago, a global luxury skincare brand was preparing its entry into Asia. The client’s brief focused on clicks, impressions, and performance media. The agency team, however, proposed a different approach—a sensory takeover of a Seoul train station. The activation included scent pods, ambient lighting, and immersive storytelling panels that played out like a cinematic narrative as commuters moved through the space.
There were no trackable links. No QR codes. No pixels. Just emotion.
The results? Within three months, brand recall had tripled. Consumers didn’t just see the product—they felt it, talked about it, and remembered it. The product became part of cultural conversations, not just part of a retargeting sequence.
That moment crystallised a truth too many brands overlook: memory scales. Clicks don’t.
Other moments have echoed that insight. A Madame Tussaud’s experience in Bangkok. A bold, architectural activation by Brex in San Francisco. A surprise musical performance promoting Chicago at JFK Airport. These weren’t optimised for conversions. They were optimised for feeling. And that’s what made them powerful.
From Visibility to Relevance
Too many brands confuse being seen with being significant. But visibility alone doesn’t win love, loyalty, or market share. Relevance does.
Apple didn’t build brand equity through CPM efficiency. Netflix didn’t become part of the global pop culture canon by chasing impressions. They achieved it by making people feel something—by being contextually, emotionally, and culturally present.
That’s the kind of presence that doesn’t just show up in reports—it shows up in conversations, in hearts, and in habits.
The brands that integrate into people’s lives—whether through design, storytelling, or cultural fluency—create resonance. They build memory. And memory is the real brand moat.
Asia’s Unique Cultural Context: Why Memory Matters More Here
Asia isn’t one market—it’s a mosaic of markets, each with distinct languages, values, and social frameworks. But across the region, one theme consistently holds: high-context communication. In places like Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand, much is conveyed implicitly—through cues, settings, rituals, and repetition—not just through direct messaging.
That means the medium is just as important as the message. In Asia, where relationships and emotional trust take time to build, the subtle signals of brand presence—especially in public, trusted spaces—can carry far more weight than a performance ad.
It also means that interruptive, transactional marketing often backfires. Integration and emotional fluency matter. A brand that belongs, that feels native, will always outperform one that merely appears.
The Coming Shift: Smarter, Context-Aware Attribution
As physical and digital environments continue to blend, marketers face an urgent challenge: measurement must evolve. The next generation of attribution can’t just count interactions. It needs to interpret them. It must understand why a customer moved—not just that they moved.
Artificial intelligence will play a critical role in this shift. Emerging tools won’t just track digital clicks. They’ll read sentiment, interpret context, analyse narrative arcs, and correlate emotional triggers across time and touchpoints.
But even with smarter tech, one principle will hold: real ROI is orchestration, not isolation. No channel acts alone. Impact is co-authored—by creative, timing, placement, and cultural fit. The attribution models of tomorrow must reflect that.
Marketing Needs a New North Star: Memory
The current obsession with data has its place. But it’s made marketers forget the most important metric of all: Did people remember it?
Marketing isn’t just a performance game—it’s a memory game. And memory, unlike impressions or reach, compounds over time. It sticks. It spreads. It influences.
“You can chase the algorithm, or you can shape the memory.”
When brands shape memory, they create lasting advantage. They become part of culture, not just commerce. They earn word-of-mouth, loyalty, and emotional real estate.
Owning the Future by Shaping the Past
In Asia, the brands that endure don’t just show up—they belong. They don’t interrupt—they integrate. They don’t chase—they contribute.
In a region where trust is earned slowly and held tightly, marketing that’s grounded in emotional resonance, cultural respect, and physical presence can do what dashboards never will: build meaning.
That’s not to say performance marketing is obsolete. It’s not. Digital media still plays a vital role in closing the loop, activating intent, and capturing demand. But it cannot be the full story.
The real brand work happens before the click. Before the search. Before the pixel fires. It happens in the world. In the imagination. In the memory.
Final Thought: Brands That Shape Memory, Win Markets
As Asia continues to lead global innovation and cultural evolution, the stakes for brands grow higher. Noise is everywhere. Attention is fractured. Metrics are manipulated.
But memory? That’s immune to ad blockers.
Brands that want to win in this region need to shift their mindset. From short-term efficiency to long-term resonance. From chasing conversions to shaping conversations.
Because in the end, consumers won’t remember the ad that followed them around the internet. They’ll remember how a brand made them feel—in a subway, in a store, on a street corner, or at a moment when it truly mattered.
The brands that shape memory today will own the market tomorrow.
This thought leadership piece is written by Srikanth Ramachandran, Founder and Group CEO at Moving Walls
The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT in Marketing 2025, a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for 2025 and beyond.
Singapore – High-income gamers are more receptive to in-game ads, with 49% responding positively compared to 24% of low-income players, according to the latest report from PubMatic.
The report also noted that most preferred ad formats, like native ads and in-game product placements, are under-utilised, despite receiving over 80% positive sentiment from players.
For app developers looking to balance revenue with player satisfaction, and advertisers aiming to optimize their in-game advertising strategies, the report casts light on what players truly feel about ads. It found that the majority of mobile gamers (51%) said they felt neutral about in-game ads, while 38% reported a positive response.
Notably, nearly half (49%) of high-income earners felt positive about ads – compared to just 24% of low income earners – demonstrating the potential ROI of tapping into this premium audience.
The research found that the vast majority of mobile game players form positive emotional connections while playing. High-income respondents showed the strongest sentiments, with 98% feeling happy when playing mobile games. People in this income bracket are frequent players, with 43% spending two or more hours daily playing mobile games as they integrate gaming into their mobile lifestyles.
The data shows they play across multiple locations – from morning commutes on transportation (28%), lunch breaks at restaurants (22%), cafes (23%), to evening downtime at home (91%). This underscores the opportunity for advertisers to target this valuable audience segment at scale at a time they are both highly engaged and in a positive mindset.
The report also highlights the impact that in-game advertising can have for not only driving purchase actions and brand recall, but in creating an amplification effect too. Mobile game ads significantly outperformed TV in driving product recommendations, at 51% vs 27%, and ranked a close second to TV in terms of purchase influence (22% vs 24%).
Speaking about these cross-platform insights, Genelle Hung, country manager for Southeast Asia at PubMatic, said, “There’s clearly significant potential for app developers and advertisers to create seamless, in-game advertising experiences that tap into the positive sentiments felt by the majority of mobile gamers – especially those in the higher income brackets. Targeting high-value audience segments at scale through programmatic auction packages should be a priority for advertisers. And with 60% of gamers also watching TV or using social media at the same time, they should also develop omnichannel strategies where contextually relevant ads can be shown to players on both platforms at the right time.”
More than four in 10 respondents (41%) said that they understood the value exchange in mobile game advertising, with ads necessary for the games to be free to play. However, more than a third (36%) said that they found ads disruptive to the playing experience. This shows that brands can leverage positive sentiment and ad receptiveness to their mobile game ads, but must prioritise seamless ad experiences that fit with the environment.
In terms of the ad formats that gamers feel most comfortable with, 85% said they were positive towards in-game product placements; 83% felt positive about native ads that match the game’s visual style; 81% liked branded game areas; and 73% were favourable towards intrinsic in-game ads that blend into gameplay mechanics.
However, these types of ads were seen the least by respondents – only 21% said they had seen a native ad in their gameplay in the past two weeks; 23% had seen in-game product placement and branded game areas; and 27% had seen intrinsic in-game ads. The fact that these formats remain under-utilised but have high sentiment scores highlights a huge opportunity for app developers and advertisers.
Meanwhile, Anik Dang, CEO and co-founder of ReneVerse, commented, “Our joint research with PubMatic highlights the powerful opportunity that exists at the intersection of mobile gaming and digital advertising. This partnership demonstrates how combining deep industry expertise with robust audience insights can help advertisers more effectively engage high-value gaming audiences across Southeast Asia.”
Singapore – Technology platform Yahoo DSP has launched the ‘Conversion API’ (Yahoo CAPI) solution to enhance measurement, attribution, and optimisation of campaigns. It allows advertisers to integrate their conversions to Yahoo DSP to ensure accurate campaign performance insights.
Yahoo CAPI unifies online and offline conversion tracking, redefining how commerce media networks measure and attribute. Through real-time insights across channels, Yahoo DSP empowers advertisers to optimise campaigns in a single workflow.
Using first-party identifiers, advertisers can also transmit data directly on the platform or through LiveRamp’s data collaboration platform. LiveRamp is Yahoo CAPI’s initial integration partner.
“Through this solution, advertisers can easily upload their LiveRamp offline conversions on Yahoo DSP and close the loop on measurement, gaining a clearer understanding of how our online advertising efforts are driving offline sales,” Travis Clinger, chief connectivity & ecosystem officer at LiveRamp, said.
Clinger added, “Amidst increasing pressures on advertisers’ budgets, using a CAPI enables increased campaign effectiveness – and better insights into returns – helping advertisers to make the best use of their investments and to highlight the critical role they play.”
“Yahoo DSP is committed to helping advertisers navigate the evolving digital landscape with solutions that prioritise both accuracy and privacy,” Giovanni Gardelli, VP of ads data products at Yahoo, said.
“With the launch of Yahoo CAPI, advertisers gain more control and flexibility in how they share conversion data, ensuring optimal measurement and performance. For example, with Yahoo CAPI, a technology advertiser saw 3x more attributed conversions across different channels and devices that would have been harder to measure due to lack of cookies or advertising IDs,” Gardelli added.
With Google previously stating that they will not deprecate third-party cookies at all, the tech giant has recently stated that it will still keep third-cookies in its Google Chrome system, albeit with promises from Google to enhance tracking protection for consumers. For instance, Chrome’s Incognito mode will continue to block third-party cookies by default, and new features like IP Protection—slated for rollout in Q3 2025—will further enhance private browsing.
Moreover, Google stated that with cookies sticking around for now, Google is reevaluating how its Sandbox APIs can best support the ecosystem.
It is worth noting that this comes as a surprise for everyone in the industry, especially how most of advertisers have already prepared for the eventual sunset of third-party cookies in favour of more privacy-centric alternatives like using first-party cookies.
With Google showing no signs of phasing out third-party cookies anytime soon, what sentiments advertising leaders have with this news? And what are they doing currently in response to this? To answer these questions, MARKETECH APAC recently spoke with industry leaders to learn more whether this news should come as a concern or not for the future of the advertising industry.
Genelle Hung, country manager for SEA at PubMatic
Google’s tracking protections are one step, but the real transformation has already been happening. It’s been driven by tech partners, publishers, and even brands who are building privacy-first solutions. After the first of many announcements regarding the possible deprecation of the cookie, we saw a surge in tools like AI-powered contextual targeting, alternative IDs, and privacy-safe data collaboration, particularly with sell-side targeting.
And while Google’s privacy sandbox was a key area of exploration and testing across the industry, these broader solutions that emerged aren’t just band-aids. They are the foundation for a more open, innovative and privacy-safe ad ecosystem. PubMatic has invested significantly in these hybrid approaches, ensuring our clients can leverage both emerging technologies and existing infrastructure for maximum impact. These solutions are being developed by the entire industry, not just one company.
The future of privacy will not be defined by one company. We should continue with open collaboration, across the whole industry, to create privacy-safe tools and standards that work for everyone, not just the biggest players. That means making sure new solutions like commerce media data, sell-side curation and targeting, alternative signals are accessible and interoperable.
Google can play a vital role by championing open standards and transparently engaging with the industry to develop privacy solutions in a truly collaborative spirit. Privacy innovation isn’t about which company is driving the solution, it’s about making sure transparency, fair economics, and real consumer choice is at the centre.
Sally Ng, managing director, North Asia at Quantcast
Google’s moves are necessary and influential, but probably not sufficient on their own to make the entire industry privacy-first. It’s a collective effort — involving regulators, other tech giants, brands, agencies, and ad tech vendors — to truly shift from a data-maximisation mindset to a privacy-by-design model. While the timeline on third-party cookie deprecation remains unclear, I believe the destination remains the same: that is, for the world’s digital ecosystem to become a more privacy-conscious one.
This is a valuable time for marketers, publishers, and technology partners to continue testing, learning, and building solutions that are resilient, respectful of user choice, and capable of delivering performance in a world without third-party cookies. It’s an opportunity to accelerate collaboration across the ecosystem — and ensure that when the transition does happen, it’s done responsibly and sustainably.
At Quantcast, we’ve been preparing for a cookieless world for years. Our AI-driven approach and real-time audience insights already operate effectively across environments with limited identifiers. Our view is that the shift toward privacy-centric marketing is inevitable, and those who act now will be best positioned to lead in the next era of digital advertising.
Niall Hogan, general manager (JAPAC) at GumGum
Google’s decision to roll back on the phase-out of third-party cookies signals a reluctance to let go of outdated advertising models that may no longer be the best fit for today’s adland. Across JAPAC, we’re seeing rising expectations from consumers for greater transparency, control, and respect in how their data is used.
Brands that continue relying on surveillance-based tactics risk falling behind – not just in performance, but in consumer trust. By pivoting towards attention-based solutions that enable relevant, respectful engagement without compromising privacy, we can instead focus on building the privacy-first strategies consumers have already been calling for.
Becky Leng, managing director at NP Digital Singapore
Google’s decision – one that is closely timed with the intensifying scrutiny of its antitrust case – certainly appears to be a strategic one. By keeping cookies on the playing field, Google may be trying to show regulators that it’s not limiting competition by giving other players continued access to data, rather than offering only its Privacy Sandbox solutions.
However, this slows the industry’s shift toward more privacy-conscious advertising, and marks a wake-up call for brands to actively work towards avoiding the risk of eroding consumer trust. I believe that now is the moment for brands to future-proof their strategies with a diversified marketing mix: Strengthening first-party data strategies, rethinking measurement, and investing in sustainable channels like content, SEO, and contextual advertising.
But beyond these strategic fixes, it should also be about getting back to the fundamentals of great marketing – being creative, empathetic, and truly understanding your audience. When brands build their messaging around real insights and consumer intent, they create more meaningful, trust-driven connections that don’t depend on invasive signals. After all, privacy-first strategies aren’t just about keeping up with platform shifts, but about building long-term consumer trust
Garrett McGrath, SVP, Product Management at Magnite
This continuation of legacy web addressability in Chrome has given the industry a collective sigh of relief, allowing the open web to continue to flourish while preparing for its next chapter. The digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly due to increasing privacy regulations, massive growth in non-web environments, and acceleration in cross-screen/omnichannel campaigns.
Magnite sees this latest third-party cookie postponement as a welcome admission of the challenges with Privacy Sandbox proposals and a near term boon for the open web. However, this does not change our strategic focus on the importance of first-party signals and ensuring publishers and consumers retain control of addressability, principles Magnite has championed for many years.
We continue to innovate on privacy-centric solutions that deliver value to publishers, advertisers, and consumers alike, maintaining our commitment to contributing to a more sustainable digital ecosystem that respects transparency and user choice.
Geoffroy Martin, CEO at Ogury
Google’s latest shift doesn’t alter the course of history. Identifiers have already vanished from more than half of the open web — and this proportion continues to grow, driven by consumer expectations, regulatory pressure, and platform fragmentation.
At the same time, a significant portion of ID-based signals will remain available. That’s why the real challenge is no longer what happens when IDs disappear, but how to effectively operate and perform across both ID-based and ID-less environments. This is the new media reality, and the winners will be those who embrace this hybrid landscape.
The key is to build platforms and data models that work across the full spectrum of addressability, leveraging all signals, whether identity is present or not. While relying solely on identifiers limits reach and creates fragile strategies, ignoring IDs entirely means missing the value that still exists in identity-based signals.
The smart approach isn’t about choosing sides — it’s about intelligently integrating both approaches, in a world that will remain mixed.
Terry Hornsby, executive vice president and founder at Mantis
Google’s decision not to roll out a standalone prompt for third-party cookies in Chrome is significant, but many in the industry have been preparing for multiple scenarios all along. The reality is, advancements in alternative targeting approaches shouldn’t go to waste just because cookies are sticking around longer than expected. The industry has made substantial progress with contextual solutions that can identify interests in specific environments – such as gardening enthusiasts browsing sports content – without necessarily needing to know who the person is.
This not only supports advertisers in maintaining performance but also empowers publishers to better monetise their content by aligning ad relevance with context rather than identity. In turn, this means a more balanced ecosystem, where advertisers have the opportunity to blend approaches, extending beyond the current environment while still respecting the broader direction toward privacy.
Will Harmer, chief product officer at Utiq
Google’s latest move to delay the demise of third-party cookies is not a product decision – it’s deliberate procrastination. Just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice formally labelled the company a monopolist in digital advertising, we are now expected to believe that yet another “pause” in cookie deprecation is in the name of user privacy?
Let’s be clear: this is not a pivot. It’s a stall – a regulatory negotiation disguised as a product roadmap update. The timing is no coincidence. And the consequences are clear. Every time the industry waits, Google wins.
The industry has spent the last five years acknowledging – and preparing for – the end of third-party cookies. Why? Because they don’t work. They leak data. They slow the web. They offer poor match rates. And they leave publishers blind to who’s accessing their audiences.
Holding onto this outdated technology does not solve the privacy challenge – it extends it. Third-party cookies are a relic of a time before user consent was mandatory, before data governance mattered, and before regulators began enforcing real accountability. We cannot build a privacy-first future on yesterday’s infrastructure.
Publishers, advertisers, and tech providers now face a critical decision. Stay shackled to a monopolist whose every move is under regulatory fire – or choose independence through new models of identity and trust.
Brands already see what’s coming, with the smart ones clearly prioritising privacy-compliant identity partners. This is not a fringe movement. This is the future of digital marketing. Google’s indecision changes nothing – except the urgency with which we must act. Now is not the time to wait and see. Now is the time to commit. The industry doesn’t need more delays. It needs leadership. Let’s move forward. Together – without Google and without third-party cookies.
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Despite Google’s plans to keep third-party cookies in Chrome after all, advertisers are increasingly unfazed. The industry has already begun pivoting toward more privacy-centric strategies, driven by evolving consumer expectations, regulatory pressures, and the growing adoption of alternative identifiers and first-party data solutions. This shift underscores a broader recognition that the future of digital advertising lies in building trust and transparency, not clinging to legacy technologies. Advertisers should see Google’s postponement not as a reason to pause, but as further validation that proactive, privacy-forward innovation is the path forward—and the time to act is now.
Singapore – Despite years of movement toward phasing out third-party cookies, Google Chrome has decided to maintain the current system—at least for now, according to the latest blog post from Google. This update marks a significant shift in the narrative around the Privacy Sandbox initiative, which originally aimed to reimagine digital advertising and tracking with a stronger emphasis on user privacy.
The update, written by Anthony Chavez, vice president at Privacy Sandbox, noted how The Privacy Sandbox was introduced with the dual goal of improving online privacy and supporting a healthy, ad-supported web.
Since its launch, there’s been growing interest and adoption of its privacy-preserving technologies, including APIs designed to provide alternatives to cookie-based tracking. But after continued discussions with publishers, advertisers, developers, and regulators, they noted that it’s clear that there’s no consensus on how—or when—to make such a major change to the current model.
It also added that much has changed since the Sandbox was announced in 2019 and Google formally engaged with UK regulators in 2022. The landscape now includes rapid advancements in privacy technology, increased use of AI to protect users, and evolving global regulations. In light of all this, Google has decided not to introduce a new standalone prompt for third-party cookie usage. Instead, Chrome users will continue to manage their preferences through the browser’s existing Privacy and Security settings.
According to Chavez, while this decision delays the original ambition of phasing out third-party cookies, Chrome will still strengthen protections in other areas. For example, Chrome’s Incognito mode will continue to block third-party cookies by default, and new features like IP Protection—slated for rollout in Q3 2025—will further enhance private browsing.
Moreover, this update also shifts the role of the Privacy Sandbox. With cookies sticking around for now, Google is reevaluating how its Sandbox APIs can best support the ecosystem. The company plans to gather industry feedback and provide a refreshed roadmap in the months ahead.
As the web continues to evolve, Google says it remains committed to privacy-first innovation while supporting the diverse needs of the digital advertising ecosystem. For now, though, third-party cookies in Chrome are here to stay.
Singapore – Barilla, known for its pastas, has recently joined Formula 1 as its official partner following signing a multi-year deal with the popular motorsport event.
As an official partner, Barilla will have a strong presence both on and off the track and will encourage connection and the spirit of togetherness among fans, who will be able to enjoy dishes from the Italian brand’s Pasta Bars around the Paddock and in the prestigious Formula 1 Paddock Club.
Trackside signage, digital activations, and consumer promotions reaching millions of spectators worldwide will also bear the Barilla branding.
Moreover, the partnership will connect fans of both brands across the world, united by a passion for sports and the bonding tradition of sharing a meal.
Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Barilla into the Formula 1 family, a collaboration flavoured with passion and heritage. Two stories that share the same values of excellence, authenticity and the pleasure of living extraordinary moments together.”
He added, “We cannot wait to start this incredible adventure with our new partner, certain that they will add an elevated taste to the emotions of F1.”
Meanwhile, Paolo Barilla, vice president of Barilla Group and former F1 driver, also commented, “A lightning-fast F1 car and a delicious plate of pasta: what do they have in common? At first, it may not be obvious, but behind both, and the effort that goes into making them, are skilled professionals, passionate and determined, driven by the desire to keep improving.”
He added, “Our greatest satisfaction is being able to offer all the men and women of F1, after an intense competition, a well-deserved plate of pasta.”
Lastly, Ilaria Lodigiani, chief category and marketing officer at Barilla, stated, “We look forward to welcoming all Formula 1 fans to the table every race weekend to enjoy both the thrill of racing and the comfort of a great meal. This partnership is an invitation to celebrate the moments that matter together, because we believe that sharing a meal has the power to turn strangers into family. At the track, at home, or around a table, Barilla and Formula 1 unite people beyond sport and cuisine.”
The new partnership is one of many partnerships Formula 1 has embarked on to boost fan engagement, including with LVMH and its vodka brand Belvedere, KitKat, and LEGO. It has also continued to score big brands as title sponsors for its races, including with Louis Vuitton for this year’s Australian Grand Prix, and the extension of Singapore Airlines’ title sponsorship for the Singaporean Grand Prix.
Auckland, New Zealand – Taboola has announced the extension of its five-year partnership with the Otago Daily Times – one of New Zealand’s largest daily newspapers.
Through this partnership extension, Taboola and Allied Press, the Dunedin-based publisher of the Otago Daily Times, have signed an exclusive, six-year commercial agreement – the longest-ever renewal in Taboola’s ANZ publisher stable.
Under the renewed partnership, Taboola will continue to power recommendations across the Otago Daily Times’ digital properties, including its website https://www.odt.co.nz/, providing users with on-site recommendations and advertising.
Moreover, the partnership will also see the Otago Daily Times continue to leverage Taboola’s suite of products, including Taboola Feed, Newsroom, homepage and article personalisation, push notifications, and Explore More and Next Up for content recommendations, across multiple touchpoints to grow its audience, optimise engagement, and drive revenue.
The new agreement will take Taboola and the Otago Daily Times’ partnership to 11 years at the completion of the term. Since their initial collaboration in 2020, Taboola has helped the Otago Daily Times significantly boost its digital audience, with its website now attracting nearly eight million page views each month.
Matthew Holdridge, commercial manager at Allied Press, said, “We have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with Taboola, which has helped drive traffic to our site and improve reader engagement through content recommendations. ODT.co.nz is the independent voice of the South (Island) and we look forward to working with Taboola to lift our reader engagement and revenue growth even further using their suite of tools.”
Meanwhile, Adam Singolda, founder and CEO of Taboola, commented, “The Otago Daily Times, New Zealand’s oldest daily newspaper, has been a valued, long-time partner of Taboola. Our renewed partnership – the longest-ever signed in the ANZ market – is a testament to the strength of our working relationship and the potential of our audience tools.”
He added, “The Otago Daily Times team has witnessed first-hand the power of our products, in New Zealand, demonstrating the ability of our platform to help deliver traffic and revenue. We’re grateful for the Otago Daily Times’ ongoing support and we’re looking forward to taking our partnership to new heights.”
Singapore – A new study from Taboola, done alongside Qualtrics, has recently revealed that nearly 75% of performance marketers are experiencing diminishing returns on social media ad spend; and around over 50% expand into additional channels beyond social.
It noted that the diminishing returns occur as CPA rises with increased spend, such that the incremental conversions decrease with each additional investment increment. Some of the primary causes include ad fatigue, increased competition, and platform changes, making it difficult to sustain performance.
In terms of struggle on paid social Struggles, nearly 80% of respondents experiencing diminishing returns report that the impact isn’t limited to the final stretch of their budget, often starting early and affecting more than half of their total spend. Meanwhile, over 60% believe audience saturation and user fatigue from repeated ad exposure are the primary reasons for diminishing returns.
Other contributing factors include rising ad costs (47%), algorithm inefficiencies (47%), weaker targeting due to privacy restrictions (36%), and ad creative fatigue (49%).
Moreover, Over 80% of performance marketers are using multiple tactics to combat diminishing returns, with 55% expanding into additional digital channels beyond social media.
Common mitigation tactics include testing new ad formats (70%), changing audience targeting strategies (67%), and shifting budgets between high and low-performing campaigns (47%). To stay competitive, the report stated that marketers need strategic diversification, continuous testing, and agility to adapt to changing trends and platform dynamics.
Adam Singolda, CEO of Taboola, said, “While social media accounts for a large portion of performance advertising budgets, many marketers have hit a barrier in the form of diminishing returns. More spend just isn’t translating into better results. The findings in this report point to difficulty in sustaining performance over time, with marketers seeking solutions that can help them overcome that barrier.”
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