It’s always been an interesting choice of words to call cookies and device IDs
“persistent.” To most people, being surreptitiously followed and monitored at
all times would likely be described as “stalking.” It’s only the stalker who
refers to himself as persistent.
Granted, many a stalker has started out with good, if misplaced, intentions.
Cookies are no different, as they played a large role in
making the infant web a useful platform
for commerce and connectivity. Over the years, we squeezed a ton of utility out
of cookies, eventually expanding into device IDs—but as the web has evolved
to become intertwined with all aspects of society, it’s time for these data
trackers to move on.
By now, you’ve no doubt come across your share of industry-shifting
perspectives from the likes of Google, Apple, and other media juggernauts. A
lot of the progress being introduced here is technically and operationally
complex, which will add quite a few new wrinkles to the already convoluted
cross-device attribution models and media-mix models that brands struggle to
piece together. DTC brands are especially susceptible given their over reliance
on Facebook, which in turn relies on the tracking methods that may come under
fire in the future.
It’s a rocky road for a brand, no doubt—but better than a road leading to
nowhere. The industry has acknowledged it needs to forge better relationships
with consumers—not only to regain and retain trust, but also to start building
a practical and reliable sense of consumer identity so we can all stop buying
attribution snake oil.
There’s no shortage of technical and operational innovation required to reach
this new marketing frontier, but the foundation is simple: build consensual
relationships with your customers. Ask permission. Communicate. This novel
approach is simply called participatory marketing. Embrace it.
Fairing has skin in this game, of course—because our product gives users a
voice, and helps brands start a transparent relationship right at the birth of
their customer. With short, concise surveys, we aim to develop a natural
dialogue at a pace that is comfortable for the customer. Done right, it leads
to customers who welcome playing an active role in their brand’s growth, rather
than feeling squeezed for the value they possess.
But it’s no accident we’ve built such a product. Monopolies fall, models break,
and oases become mirages—it’s all part of marketing’s evolution, and marketing
at its core starts from the realization that your customers know something you
don’t. You can try to gain that knowledge through tricks, hacks, and other
temporary solutions destined for extinction…or, you can just talk to them.
Transparency is evergreen.