Jennifer Axness
On July 22, 2024, Google announced that rather than deprecating, or withdrawing official support for, third-party cookies, it plans to introduce “a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing.”
Google is still in the proposal stage with this new approach and will engage with the industry as it rolls this out. As it moves forward, Google has emphasized that it will continue to be important for advertisers to explore Google’s alternatives. At Amadeus, we’ve implemented a multi-channel strategy that extends beyond Google’s ecosystem.
You can read the announcement from Google here.
What does this mean for hotels?
Even if Google is not deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome yet, we still expect to see a significant degradation in third-party cookie signals received after Google completes its “new Chrome experience” update.
This means that the “four essentials” strategy Amadeus has developed remains the right strategy to mitigate the loss of user signals from those who choose not to use third-party cookies in this new Chrome experience.
It remains crucial for hoteliers to have a partner to help them succeed by:
- Collecting and activating first-party data in their campaigns.
- Integrating travel intent data (second-party data) in campaigns to expand qualified reach.
- Partnering with an expert in media technology to adopt the latest AI technologies.
- Establishing robust, compliant targeting and reporting systems offering both predictive and deterministic results.
Why do we still expect a decline in signals if third-party cookies won’t be deprecated in Google Chrome?
The degradation of third-party cookies has been in progress for several years, and Google’s latest announcement will accelerate this trend as more users opt out of third-party cookies:
- As of today, a significant portion of internet traffic already excludes third-party cookies for users on other browsers.
- Google Chrome also represents 65% of online browser usage. Google will expand the options for managing third-party cookies, allowing users to opt in or opt out leading to some portion of users in Chrome disabling third-party cookies.
In effect, our proposed strategy to adopt durable measurement solutions remains to drive better results.
Is there any impact for Amadeus Digital Media customers?
There is no impact or change in the approach we have already shared to prepare for the degradation of third-party cookies.
Hoteliers should continue partnering with our Digital Media team to execute the “four essentials” strategy to enhance targeting capabilities: continuing to adopt the latest privacy-friendly features, collecting and activating their first-party data, integrating travel demand data, and establishing a robust reporting system. We will continue to support our customers in navigating the evolving digital media landscape.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to innovate and enhance our advertising strategies!
