The Cookie Apocalypse: Adapting to the Era of 3rd Party Cookie-less Marketing

Cristina Suris, Corporate Marketing Manager, Kessler Collection, HSMAI Rising Marketing Leader Council Member

The hospitality industry heavily relies on third-party cookies for targeted advertising, personalization, and customer tracking across various platforms. With shifting away from third-party cookies, hotels and travel agencies will face significant challenges in understanding and reaching their target audience effectively, along with major impacts on campaign visibility/performance. As reliance on zero and first-party data sources becomes increasingly crucial, proactive adaptation and integration of customer profiles into evolving marketing channels will be essential for maintaining competitiveness in the industry. I discussed this recently with my colleagues on the HSMAI Rising Marketing Leader Council, read on for highlights from our discussion.

Leaning on New Technologies and Expertise

The transition away from third-party cookies has led many marketers to reassess their data collection and analysis methods. Rising leaders are increasingly turning to digital marketing experts to refine their strategies, ensuring data remains as clean and actionable as possible. We are also trying to extract maximum reporting insights from Google Analytics before they become obsolete, capturing valuable historical data for future use.

Enhancing First-Party Data Capabilities

First-party data has become the foundation of new marketing strategies. By segmenting their databases and launching re-opt-in campaigns, one member shared how they are not only ensuring compliance with privacy laws but also enhancing customer engagement. Loyalty programs and enhanced conversions were other key areas of focus mentioned, helping to build a robust internal data ecosystem that respects user privacy while delivering personalized experiences.

Integrating with Agency Expertise

Several members mentioned how agencies are playing a crucial role in this transition, providing essential guidance and innovative solutions. From email marketing enhancements to sophisticated data analysis tools, agencies are helping brands navigate the complexities of a cookie-less environment. This collaboration is pivotal as brands look to leverage first-party data more effectively, creating opportunities for more direct and meaningful interactions with consumers.

Strategic Adjustments and Future Outlook

Despite the challenges posed by these technological shifts, we rising leaders are optimistic about the future. The extension of third-party cookie deprecation to late 2024/early 2025 offers additional preparation time, which is being used to refine strategies and test new approaches for the cookie-less future we know is coming!

Questions:

Do you know what 3rd party cookies are?
Are you aware they are going away?
What is your company doing to prepare for a cookie-less world?
Have you changed your strategies, budgets, or partners based on the change of 3rd party cookies?
Can you share any successful examples you’ve implemented to collect first-party data through email acquisition campaigns or website integrations?