Tag: Yahoo

Singapore – Yahoo has announced the appointment of Josh Line as chief marketing officer to lead the company’s global marketing strategies, brand positioning, user acquisition, and customer engagement initiatives. He will report directly to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone.

A seasoned chief marketer, Line was most recently Paramount global’s chief brand officer, where he led enterprise-wide marketing efforts and played a key role in the launch of Paramount+ and the growth of the direct-to-consumer streaming business. 

He steered the company’s marketing transformation, building a multiplatform marketing capability across brands like CBS, MTV, Paramount Pictures, and Pluto TV. Line chaired the company’s marketing council, led the establishment of marketing centers of excellence in media, production operations, marketing technology and social strategy, and spearheaded the company’s rebrand from ViacomCBS to Paramount Global.

Before serving as Paramount’s chief brand officer, Line led marketing, creative and digital studios at Comedy Central, Paramount Network, and TV Land. His commitment to creative excellence and customer-centric innovation was cultivated at agencies Scratch, Droga5, and Anomaly, leading engagements with GM, BMW, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Disney, amongst others.

Speaking on his new role, Line said, “At 30 years young, Yahoo is one of the internet’s most storied brands, and its mission to be a trusted guide through the digital wilderness is as relevant as ever. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to reignite love and cultural impact for this iconic brand and drive growth for its portfolio of leading products. I’m thrilled to join Jim and the team to help build the future of Yahoo.”

Meanwhile, Lanzone commented, “With a strong track record of scaling both emerging and iconic brands, combined with his ability to build and lead high-performance teams, Josh is the ideal leader to propel the Yahoo brand forward during this critical moment in our journey. I am excited to welcome Josh to Yahoo, where his expertise in driving brand strategy and fostering collaboration across every facet of marketing leadership will be crucial.”

United States – TechCrunch, the influential tech news and analysis platform, has transitioned to new ownership, with private equity firm Regent acquiring it from Yahoo.

According to a post by editor-in-chief and general manager Connie Loizos, the financial terms of the sale remain undisclosed. However, TechCrunch emphasised that the deal with Regent is designed to ensure minimal disruption to its operations.

Aside from relocating offices, the company will see no major changes, with its current team of journalists remaining in place.

TechCrunch was part of Verizon’s media assets, including Yahoo. In 2021, Apollo Global Management acquired these assets for $5b and rebranded them under Yahoo.

With the latest ownership change, TechCrunch joins Regent’s expanding media portfolio. Notably, Regent has been growing its presence in tech media, recently acquiring Foundry—the parent company of PCWorld, Macworld, InfoWorld, CIO, and TechAdvisor—according to Reuters.

“As close followers of TechCrunch already know, this isn’t our first rodeo when it comes to new ownership. But what mattered most in this transition was ensuring that our team retains the freedom and support to do what we do best. With Regent, we have exactly that,” Loizos wrote. 

Loizos also noted that Yahoo is retaining a small stake in TechCrunch rather than cutting ties entirely. She explained that Yahoo opted to sell TechCrunch because its focus and approach differ from the rest of Yahoo’s portfolio, which includes Yahoo Sports, Yahoo News, and Yahoo Finance.

“My personal thanks to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone, who has been an incredible mentor and sounding board and to whom I’m deeply grateful. So to Yahoo, thank you for standing by us through some tougher times. And to Regent, we love your enthusiasm for what we do, and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter with you,” she remarked. 

Singapore – Yahoo DSP has announced that it is the first Demand Side Platform (DSP) to adopt IAB Tech Lab’s standardised Data Transparency Labels, a move aimed at providing advertisers with clearer insights into audience data.

IAB Tech Lab’s Data Transparency Labels use a “Nutrition Label” format to provide marketers, agencies, and data providers with clear, standardised audience data. Created to meet the industry’s growing demand for transparency, these labels offer essential insights to help advertisers make informed decisions.

With the integration of IAB Tech Lab’s Data Transparency Labels, Yahoo DSP provides advertisers with standardised insights into the origin, recency, and segmentation of data segments used in campaigns. The initiative is intended to enhance decision-making, improve campaign performance, and strengthen accountability across the data supply chain.

“Yahoo DSP becoming the first major platform to implement the Data Transparency Labels is a practical step forward for the industry. It’s a clear move toward better accountability and trust in data-driven advertising, and it sets a straightforward example for others to follow,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO of IAB Tech Lab. 

Yahoo DSP’s adoption of IAB Tech Lab’s Data Transparency Labels aligns with its broader efforts to enhance transparency and data accountability. The labels, set to be available in early 2025, will provide advertisers with standardised insights into data segments, supporting more informed decision-making across campaigns.

Giovanni Gardelli, vice president of DSP Data Products at Yahoo, said, “Transparency is critical to reinforce trust and drive better outcomes for advertisers. Our adoption of IAB Tech Lab’s Data Transparency Labels reflects Yahoo’s commitment to delivering the highest level of clarity and quality to our partners. We are proud to lead the industry in this transformative initiative.”

Dan Richardson, director of data & insights for AUSEA at Yahoo, added, “The Data Transparency Label is a key milestone and reflective of Yahoo’s mission to guide advertisers through the digital wilderness—helping them navigate complex ecosystems with confidence. We are proud to be among the first to adopt these labels and deliver greater accountability to marketers striving to connect with their audiences in a compliant and ethical way.”

Singapore – Singapore marketers’ campaign results are at risk due to data complacency, with 40% struggling with their data strategies, according to a Yahoo DSP report.

Yahoo’s report highlights a need to enhance marketers’ data capabilities, despite the generally positive outlook on practices.

While 44% of Singapore marketers are confident with their data strategies, the number sits close to the 40% facing challenges despite access to tools.

Additionally, only 33% claim that their companies are aligned on efforts to remain updated and enforce data privacy strategies. Meanwhile, 66% admit to gaps in nurturing data culture practices within their organisations.

Growing data privacy concerns have increased the number of consumers opting out of third-party cookies. This makes conversion strategies and attribution a challenge for marketers.

However, 40% of marketers report that accurate last ad exposure attribution would solve this, while 38% plan to discover deeper audience insights.

Singapore marketers also show an interest in identity testing and multi-touch attribution, but their actions show a gap far from this goal. 64% admits to refreshing key audience segments occasionally or less, failing to follow through on tested tactics.

Despite marketers remaining updated in the industry through reading news and attending events, the report shows a lack in preparation for identity and signal loss.

“The findings are clear: the industry stands at a pivotal crossroads. With consumer trust and privacy increasingly crucial, the need to recalibrate data strategies fit for the current climate is paramount. Clinging to the status quo not only squanders opportunities but also jeopardises long-term growth. Marketers must adopt a more strategic and forward-thinking approach to data—one that’s both innovative and future-ready. The urgency to act has never been greater,” Kris Kam, head of PMX Media Singapore at Publicis Media, said.

“Recent surveys and industry sentiments all point to a harsh reality – marketers are not ready to navigate a landscape where third-party cookies and traditional tracking mechanisms are phased out. Specifically, in Singapore where performance and conversions are prioritised, working with a dying user identifier such as cookies puts conversion strategies at risk. Unless they explore other identifiers and non-addressable solutions that include a mix of first-party data, ID-less targeting and modeled conversions, marketers in Singapore can expect to experience performance degradation in their campaigns as more consumers opt out of tracking,” Dan Richardson, director of data and insights at Yahoo DSP AUSEA, said.

“Yahoo is committed to empowering brands to take the next step in their data practices. Data privacy isn’t the future; it is here and now, and marketers need to be equipped to navigate this increasingly complex ecosystem with confidence and continuously reach their goals,” Richardson added.

Singapore – Yahoo has extended the availability of Yahoo Identity Solutions through its launch partners’ publisher tools, allowing access to more publishers. 

The identity solutions can be accessed through Yahoo’s launch partners Amazon Publisher Services, InMobi Advertising, Magnite, and PubMatic. The update helps publishers increase revenue by increasing their audience without using third-party cookies. 

Through adopting Yahoo Identity Solutions, publishers can easily monetise their ads for logged-in and non-logged-in audiences, allowing for optimal results. It also allows publishers to easily use Yahoo ConnectID on their platforms to help them in a cookieless environment.

Advertisers can also benefit from improved audience targeting by reaching more publishers who can ensure efficient and effective ad campaigns. 

The update builds on Yahoo’s momentum on the identity solutions suite. Recently, the company launched Yahoo Identity Solutions on connected TV to help advertisers target and measure performance.

Chandra Cirulnick, vice president of global supply partnerships at Yahoo, said, “As we continue to extend Yahoo Identity Solutions, we are building on our momentum to shape the future of identity in advertising, ensuring publishers can monetise their audiences more effectively in an identity-constrained world.”

“This expansion demonstrates our commitment to future-proofing our clients’ businesses as they adapt to the evolving digital landscape through robust identity solutions that drive performance and respect user privacy,” Cirulnick added.

“We are excited to launch Yahoo ConnectID in APS Connections Marketplace, making it easier for our publisher customers to implement it on their inventory. With ConnectID, APS publishers can optimise their supply-side signals to better engage demand via Amazon’s Transparent Ad Marketplace monetisation path,” Scott Siegler, director of Amazon Publisher Services, said. 

“InMobi is thrilled to be the first platform focused on ad monetisation for mobile app developers to integrate with the Yahoo ConnectID, providing advertisers who leverage the Yahoo DSP a clearer path to addressable inventory in a privacy-first world. This partnership underscores our commitment to continuous adaptation of the InMobi Exchange to the evolving privacy landscape and to supporting publisher choice concerning the alternative identity solutions they support,” Todd Rose, senior vice president of global business development and partnerships at InMobi Advertising, commented.

Kristen Williams, senior vice president of strategic partnerships at Magnite, said, “In line with our efforts to provide publishers and buyers with high-quality options to activate addressable advertising across every format in the ever-evolving identity landscape, we are excited to be among the first to integrate with Yahoo Identity Solutions. The breadth of Yahoo’s deterministic data is a powerful asset that can enhance the value of premium content while delivering better results for advertisers.”

“We aim to simplify identity management for publishers using Identity Hub, which in turn helps buyers more effectively recognise and reach their desired target audiences. The Yahoo Identity Solutions provide privacy-safe, authenticated user data that will further empower our publisher clients to drive monetisation in cookie-less environments and connect seamlessly with buyers. Our publishers can now easily incorporate Yahoo ConnectID within their existing alternative identity strategy and leverage our testing and reporting capabilities to understand what will drive success for their business,” Howard Luks, vice president of audience at PubMatic, said.

Singapore – Web services provider Yahoo has named Valeri Liborski as chief technology officer (CTO), tasking him to lead the global engineering team and advance the company’s investments in artificial intelligence. 

Having more than two decades of experience running central technology functions in companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and HelloFresh, Liborski’s appointment allows him to contribute to Yahoo’s growth.

In his previous role as CTO at HelloFresh, Liborski supervised the technology operations and led engineering, data science, and product development. Libroski also held senior roles in his 10 years at Amazon. 

“It’s an understatement to say that technology is the lifeblood of our company, and Val’s track record of building great teams to create and manage powerful products and platforms, at the kind of scale in which we operate, made him stand out as the right person to lead Yahoo’s engineering organization into the future,” Jim Lanzone, chief executive officer of Yahoo, said.

“We thank Aengus for his incredible contributions to Yahoo and we wish him the best in this next chapter,” Lanzone added.

“Yahoo was one of my first gateways to the internet and continues to be a go-to source in my daily life. I’m excited to contribute to such an iconic brand and work with the team to develop technology that touches the lives of hundreds of millions of people,” Liborski said.

Aengus McClean, who previously held the role of CTO since 2021, is set to retire at the end of the year.

Singapore – Yahoo DSP has launched the Data Maturity Pulse ‘Pop Quiz’ in Australia and Southeast Asia, an engaging way to give brands a snapshot of where they are on their data transformation journey.

This free and publicly available tool is a simplified version of Yahoo’s in-depth Data Maturity Pulse, a detailed questionnaire that evaluates and scores an organisation’s data practices in programmatic advertising, offering actionable steps to enhance their data capabilities and readiness.

Similar to Yahoo’s in-depth Pulse assessment, the Data Maturity Pulse ‘Pop Quiz’ simplifies the process of data maturity assessment, providing actionable insights, and acts as a great foray into more complex data strategies. The tool comprises a 10-point questionnaire that uses pop culture and music references to help customers better understand their own data practices and what they need to change to improve them. 

Moreover, customers can use the tool to assess their current level of data maturity through engaging, themed questions including evaluating their audience targeting strategy through the lens of a popular TV genre and tackling data challenges with a magic themed twist. 

The final result, presented as a music genre, reveals whether they’re a nostalgic ‘Classic Rock Anthem’ looking to get with the times or a ‘Hiphop Hustler’ with 99 Problems, of which data isn’t one. It also provides recommendations and resources in accordance with the results.

Lorraine Donnelly, head of data at Yahoo AUSEA, said, “While we think the world of data is fascinating, we understand that it is a complex topic. Many marketers feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to navigate the vast amount of information. The Pulse ‘Pop Quiz’ is a refreshing, quirky and thought-provoking gateway to the conversation. Not only will you crack a smile while completing it, you’ll also get a baseline of what topics you should be able to address in order to transform your data strategies effectively.”

Meanwhile, Dan Richardson, director of data & insights at Yahoo AUSEA commented, “Mastering your data has never been more important, it is a real differentiator now for the best brands. Pulse ‘Pop Quiz’ is a testament to our commitment to innovation and customer-centricity; it cuts through some of the more bland data jargon. By providing a clear, concise, and engaging way to navigate the data landscape, we are helping our clients make informed decisions that drive better outcomes.” 

After multiple delays and continued discussion about third-party deprecation, Google has announced that it is shelving its plans to phase out third-party cookies. However, it is also worth noting that Google is introducing another solution for Google Chrome, focusing more on a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing.

“Early testing from ad tech companies, including Google, has indicated that the Privacy Sandbox APIs have the potential to achieve these outcomes. And we expect that overall performance using Privacy Sandbox APIs will improve over time as industry adoption increases,” Anthony Chavez, VP at Privacy Sandbox at Google said.

He further added, “As this moves forward, it remains important for developers to have privacy-preserving alternatives. We’ll continue to make the Privacy Sandbox APIs available and invest in them to further improve privacy and utility. We also intend to offer additional privacy controls, so we plan to introduce IP Protection into Chrome’s Incognito mode.”

With that in mind, the question is: how prepared the industry is in terms of leaning towards more privacy-centric advertising solutions? Are we really prepared to let go of third-party cookies despite Google still having it? To answer these questions, MARKETECH APAC sought insights from various industry leaders to learn more about their insights from this update, and why should the industry continue to strive away from third-party cookies.

Stephen Rhodes, Head of Emerging Markets, APAC at Quantcast

In the context of the Philippines as an advertising market, it’s important to recognise that Google’s announcement does not change the fact that a significant portion of the online landscape is already “cookieless.” Marketers must not overlook this substantial and evolving audience, as it represents a crucial opportunity in today’s digital ecosystem.

Third-party cookies were never intended for advertising purposes anyway, and they are certainly not a reliable means of measurement in a world where consumer preferences can change rapidly across channels in real-time. 

Businesses that no longer see the removal of third-party cookies as an issue are the ones who are actually ahead of the situation. Marketers who continue to rely on third-party cookies will effectively only be able to target 50% of their addressable audience as the rest are already browsing in “cookieless” environments such as Safari.

Genelle Hung, Country Manager (SEA) at PubMatic

At PubMatic, we are dedicated to enhancing user privacy while ensuring the vitality of the digital advertising ecosystem. Publishers must continue adopting diverse signals beyond third-party cookies. Google’s decisions and timelines should not hinder our industry’s progress toward a superior supply chain for digital advertising across the open internet. We have seen that alternative signals can provide better outcomes for advertisers and consumers alike and help provide a more sustainable addressability strategy.

We value the collaborative efforts across the industry, including Google’s responsiveness to feedback, and are eager to help shape a more effective, privacy-focused digital advertising landscape. We understand that APIs must evolve in light of Google’s announcement, and we will continue partnering with our peers to inform the specifics and timing. Throughout this transition, PubMatic’s goal remains supporting publishers in maximising revenue while respecting user privacy.

Niall Hogan, General Manager for JAPAC at GumGum

The industry shouldn’t interpret Google’s delay as a reason to abandon privacy-centric advertising. Consumer expectations are clear: they want control over their data and transparency in its usage. This situation presents a golden opportunity for contextual advertising, which should be the primary focus. 

Unlike third-party cookies, contextual advertising employs a privacy-first approach by analysing the content of a webpage rather than user behaviour to deliver relevant ads. This method respects user privacy and aligns with their preference for a non-intrusive experience. As consumer awareness of data privacy continues to grow, it is crucial for brands to enhance transparency and build user trust by clearly communicating their data practices and providing users with control over their data.

[Moreover] Google’s new solution remains a question mark. Their focus on “user experience” and “informed choice” sounds promising, but it’s unclear how it will balance privacy with ad effectiveness. The industry should approach these solutions with caution, as any approach that does not prioritise user privacy could face backlash from increasingly privacy-conscious consumers. 

Kat Warboys, Senior Marketing Director of APAC, HubSpot

The latest news on third-party cookies is ultimately a win-win for advertisers and consumers. But the multi-year journey on cookie deprecation has been tough on marketers who have been trying to prepare. After all of this, one thing is clear: relying on third parties is no longer enough. Businesses need to take control of their first-party data to get a complete understanding of their customer, especially given the level of personalisation expected by today’s consumers.

Chris Hogg, Chief Revenue Officer, Lotame

Google may no longer be ending third-party cookies by its own hand, but the slow march of progress will still see them rendered obsolete sooner or later. Users and regulators are increasingly privacy-focused and, given cookies will be “opt-in” across the board, there will still be a need for other signals to fill the gaps — especially across channels where cookies are long gone or were never present to begin with.

The fate of third-party cookies will be as a small part of an ever-expanding array of data points, becoming less relevant over time as more privacy-first, platform-agnostic solutions evolve. No one that wishes to remain competitive should think they can take their foot off the pedal of first-party data collection and strategic data collaboration.

Xiaofeng Wang, Analyst at Forrester

It’s no surprise that Google eventually scrapped its cookie deprecation plans after three delays in four years. Most marketers in APAC have seen this coming. According to Forrester’s Marketing Survey 2024, 53% of B2C marketing decision-makers in APAC do not believe that Google will deprecate the third-party cookie, increased from 49% in 2023. This would further dampen advertisers’ urgency to adopt Privacy Sandbox, Google’s initiative to replace third-party cookies with privacy-preserving technologies.

Marketers who strive to use personalisation to improve customer experiences must also adopt a privacy-first approach to earn consumer trust and ultimately win a competitive advantage. Marketers should be transparent and granular about data collection and usage and learn to communicate to consumers that the value is not just in free content or free samples but better personalisation, more customised services, and products that ultimately yield better customer experiences.

Giovanni Gardelli, Vice President of Ads Data Products at Yahoo

We remain committed to supporting efforts that align with our focus on transparency and providing user choice, which includes continuing to invest in our own proprietary Yahoo Identity Solutions. Additionally, we will continue partnering with industry leaders to integrate and develop privacy-friendly solutions enabled by emerging web browser technologies that balance advertiser and publisher goals, while respecting user privacy.

Harshana Ariyaratne, Chief Marketing Officer at Affinidi

At Affinidi, we prioritise consumer rights to data control and privacy. We were encouraged by Google’s initial plan to deprecate third-party cookies, recognising it as a significant step towards honouring consumer data rights and rebuilding trust between consumers and businesses. 

While the decision to abandon third-party cookie deprecation may appear to be a setback for user privacy, Google’s commitment to developing solutions that enhance user experience and informed choice is promising. This approach presents an opportunity for businesses to adopt privacy-by-design, user-centric solutions, even in the presence of third-party cookies. 

Google’s efforts to create a privacy-conscious and user-centric framework have the potential to rebuild trust and meet evolving privacy expectations. However, the success of these initiatives will hinge on their ability to address the needs of all stakeholders and provide genuine privacy improvements. 

Our privacy-by-design suite of solutions within the Affinidi Trust Network, and the Affinidi Iota Framework (the world’s first consent-based data-sharing framework built on open standards) adheres to latest privacy regulations while giving consumers true data sovereignty. By prioritising consent-first principles in digital transactions, we ensure that the data collected is accurate and relevant, enabling brands to create personalised solutions that enhance user experience and satisfaction based on trust and transparency.

Focusing on users’ needs and rights [also] fosters a trustworthy and enjoyable online environment. By embracing this direction, we protect privacy while fostering innovation, creating a digital world that is transparent, responsive, and built on trust. 

Timmy Bankole, Director, Advertising Business Operations at South China Morning Post

At SCMP, we are continuing to invest in advertising strategies that put users first, including first-party data, zero-party data, and contextual approaches. We’ve been moving towards an ecosystem that respects user privacy and builds real trust with our audiences. 

As an industry, we’ve actually been given more time to get ahead of this and work towards a more user-centric, data-driven ecosystem. Whether that is identity IDs, Topics API, or contextual strategies, the smart play is to reduce dependency on third-party cookies It’s not a revolutionary concept, but it is an important one for us to start addressing head-on. The sooner we can adapt and move in this direction, the better off we’ll all be in the long run.

Benjamin Combe, Senior Director, Data Optimization and Personalization, APAC at Monks

Google’s data shows that 80% of APAC consumers feel that transparency on their data is a must-have, so the move toward giving users greater control over their preferences in Chrome is broadly in line with consumers’ growing expectations for data/privacy controls. It remains to be seen how far these features go. Still, if anything like Apple’s rollout of ATT, it appears likely that these new Chrome controls will essentially see a ‘user-driven’ deprecation of 3rd Party Cookies via opt-outs rather than a Google-enforced one as a tech vendor. Whether it’s best to give users a choice vs deprecating them entirely is a different debate. But, if executed properly, the move toward transparency and controls for end users does align with how consumer sentiments and regulations have evolved over the years.

Tyler Stewart, Media Solutions Architect Lead, APAC at Monks

Google’s change of step on 3PCD doesn’t change the imperative for privacy-centric advertising strategies—between regulatory changes and 3PCD across other browsers and devices, the need for privacy-preserving alternatives is still as pressing as ever.

At the end of the day, consumers globally have significant concerns about their data privacy and want the businesses they transact with to address these and treat the information they share with respect – rather than as a commodity. It was never really Google’s place to be the arbiter of the private web (in many ways, it never wanted to be) and its decision here will hopefully better enable the industry at large to act more openly and collaboratively to develop solutions that meet both the needs of the industry and the rights and expectations of consumers.

Brands that have already started exploring initiatives like the judicious use of first-party data, consent management, modeled measurement solutions, and conversion recovery mechanisms will continue to see benefits from these investments and should continue down this road. Those who haven’t shouldn’t see this announcement as an excuse to “kick the can down the road” like the many 3PCD postponements that have come before. To avoid being left behind – both in terms of advertising capability and trust with their customers – they, too, need to take the path towards privacy.

Despite the shelving of third-party cookie deprecation, industry leaders continue to advocate for the exploration of alternative measures. This encouragement underscores the necessity of evolving towards a privacy-by-design advertising ecosystem. Such a shift is crucial not only for maintaining consumer trust but also for fostering a more sustainable and ethical digital landscape. By prioritising privacy in the foundational design of advertising practices, we can ensure that the future of digital marketing aligns with the growing demands for user data protection and transparency.

Singapore – Global media and technology company Yahoo in Singapore is reportedly laying off all of journalists and social media executives, according to a recent report from The Edge Singapore. In total, 17 staff members will be leaving the company’s digital news publication arm by May 7.

According to staff familiar with the matter, affected staff will receive slightly more than two weeks’ pay per year of service. It was also reported that affected staff members were met with a HR representative, with Simon Wheeler, Yahoo’s senior director of content, Australia and Southeast Asia, reportedly being also present in those meetings.

When reached out for a statement, a Yahoo spokesperson told MARKETECH APAC, “We are shifting our editorial strategy to better align with strategic priorities for Yahoo Singapore. Readers can expect to continue seeing the content they most regularly engage with and enjoy. We remain focused on delivering a diverse selection of high-quality and engaging news, lifestyle and finance content, from local and international sources.”

It is worth noting that through this move, Yahoo Singapore will now move towards focusing on publishing syndicated content from its publication partners such as TechCrunch, AFP News, HuffPost, amongst others. Previously, Yahoo SG catered to a mix of syndicated content as well as original reporting from its journalists.

This is not the first time Yahoo announced a slew of layoffs, specifically those in the digital news segment. In 2023, Yahoo eliminated around 1,600 jobs — or 20% of its total workforce then — as part of its efforts to restructure its advertising tech division and phase out its supply-side platform. It also laid off around seven journalists in its Singapore office in 2022.

Singapore – The phase-out of third-party cookies by Google is hitting yet another roadblock, as the tech giant announced that the move will most likely be delayed until early 2025. This is the latest cookie deprecation delay from Google, with the phase-out initially intended to roll out back in 2022.

In a blog post in Google’s The Privacy Sandbox page, it stated that they recognise that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers and that they will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem.

“It’s also critical that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4,” Google stated.

The first delay on the Google third-party cookie phase-outs happened by late 2023, then again to late 2024, and now to early 2025.

In light of yet another year of delay of third-party cookie phaseout, MARKETECH APAC reached out to multiple industry leaders in the region to learn more about what does this delay means for the future of a privacy-centric advertising strategy for marketers moving forward, and how brands should continue in their efforts to utilise first-party or zero-party data strategies for their marketing initiatives moving forward.

Genelle Hung, Country Manager for SEA at PubMatic

Adapting advertising technology for a more privacy-centric future is paramount and is an effort worth taking the time to get right. Google’s new timeline does not change our commitment to creating a vibrant ecosystem around Privacy Sandbox as well as other addressability innovation areas like alternative IDs, contextual signals and commerce media. At PubMatic, we are not taking our foot off the gas. We are continuing to test and innovate around Privacy Sandbox initiatives so we can best prepare our publishers and media buyers for an inevitable cookieless future.

Nishanth Raju, Managing Director for Asia at Lotame

Deja vu, Google. It’s really no great surprise that Google has pushed back the third-party cookie deadline again. It’s in an impossible polyamorous relationship where none of its partners (legislators, regulators, industry execs) are satisfied by its commitment. The message for brands and agencies is crystal clear. Do not slow down on divesting your advertising from cookies, as they will be retired at some point. It’s a matter of who controls your fate. Give into waiting on Google, and you’re unfortunately wasting precious time building a solid portfolio of options, whether it’s identity frameworks or data collaboration. 

Dan Richardson, Director of Data & Insights for AUSEA at Yahoo

Google’s new timeline helps the industry continue to test and adapt. Beyond even cookies, non-addressable inventory will only increase and the industry should act now to prepare for these changes. Either way, Yahoo is ready to support advertisers today, with solutions for addressable and non-addressable environments, as well as testing in the Privacy Sandbox.

Gary Cheung, General Manager at NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan

From our point of view, the delay comes to no surprise, but the deprecation of cookies will happen eventually, and marketers and advertisers need to prepare for it. This further delay will allow marketers additional time to prepare for the loss of third-party cookies and how we should adopt a first-party-driven data strategy to drive accurate and impactful marketing. 

It is crucial for marketeers and brands to focus towards in maximising the acquisition of 1st-party data. This includes different types of data such as CRM, loyalty data, as well as online behavioural data gathered from digital assets like websites, apps, and media data such as clicks and views.

Bharat Khatri, Chief Digital Officer, Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific

The cookieless future is not the whole story but one part of where we are headed in a privacy-first world. Effective advertising is powered by a wide variety of signals not just cookies. These traditional signals are bound to deprecate next year or soon due to high privacy concerns.

But there is a bigger issue — our industry is so focused on these declining traditional signals that they are not considering new developments like Google PAIR and The Trade Desk’s Unified ID 2.0. Privacy centricity is the now and the future for our industry. 

Nonetheless, this news does not slow down the comprehensive approach we are taking to help clients stay ahead of the curve. OMG is taking a privacy by design approach with clients and accelerating towards privacy-safe future signals to continue our commitment towards responsible advertising.

Fai-keung Ng, Director of Data Partnerships at The Trade Desk

This is a quintessential illustration of why tethering the future of your business to a highly uncertain solution is not advisable. Advertisers ought to persist in their first-party data building endeavours, while publishers must prioritise expanding their base of authenticated users, regardless of Google’s cookie deprecation decision.

It is worth noting that this third-party deprecation delay by Google doesn’t comes as a surprise for many of the industry leaders in Asia-Pacific, as many are optimistic in the alternative strategies they use for a privacy-centric advertising era ahead. Moreover, utilising first-party and zero-party data using various advertising strategies are becoming more and more commonly applied across the industry, with some saying as well that this delay will not slow down their approach for responsible advertising, as they aim to guide their clients to stay ahead of the curve. From a general perspective, this new delay from Google is another indication for many industry leaders to continue evolving towards a future where understanding of users’ privacy is at the heart of their responsible advertising mantra online.