Google Again Delays 3rd-Party Cookie Depreciation

Google has announced that it is yet again delaying the depreciation of third-party cookies on its Chrome browser. Third-party cookies will remain on the software until the "second half of 2024" at the earliest.

Google has announced that it is yet again delaying the depreciation of third-party cookies on its Chrome browser. Third-party cookies will remain on the software until the "second half of 2024" at the earliest.

Anthony Chavez, vice president of Google's Privacy Sandbox, says the delay will give the company more time to test cookieless advertising solutions.

When Google's cookie retirement plan was originally announced in 2020, the tech giant slated it to go into action in 2022. Last year, the plan was delayed until 2023, and, now, it's being pushed back yet again. Google's hesitancy to pull the trigger leaves some wondering when, if ever, cookies will be fully removed from the platform.

The reality is that third-party cookies built digital marketing. They allowed for things like retargeting and personalization, which are now commonplace. Cookieless marketing is the future of advertising, but it's still very much in its infancy. The delay will give more time to digital marketers to come up with solutions for a cookieless future.

Perhaps more pertinent, though, is that Google's Privacy Sandbox is seeking to lead the way in crafting those solutions. Google's own revenue relies upon cookies. In 2021, 81.2% of Google's revenue came from advertising. As operators like Apple provide users with more privacy features, Google's profits slow. Just this week, Google reported its slowest quarter-to-quarter growth since the height of the pandemic in 2020.

This delay ultimately gives Google more time to prepare cookieless targeting solutions and protect its future profits.

How is MHP/Team SI preparing for a cookieless future?

The continued reluctance to move away from third-party cookies does not mean advertisers should stop preparing for a cookieless future. The day is coming and we must be ready with strategies to continue providing brands with the results they need.

When we first wrote about cookieless marketing over a year ago, we discussed how the agency is researching and testing methods of identifying audiences online without cookies. First-party data, CRMs and contextual advertising are all cookieless avenues which can carry our clients' ads to consumers.

The tests and research will continue over the next two years as we anticipate the eventual end of cookie marketing. Yet, you can be rest assured that we won't be caught dragging our feet or reacting.

Change is the only certainty in marketing. Our innovative nature allows us to anticipate change and act quickly.

The future of marketing in a cookieless world is exciting. We're looking forward to conquering all the challenges it throws at us.