Adtech shifts to contextual and first-party data post-cookie
A mid-term “report card” on the adtech industry's transition away from third-party cookies shows a resurgence in contextual targeting. Buyers are navigating a gap between old and new identity systems, with many finding that privacy-safe ads based on page content are commercially effective. The shift has also intensified the industry's focus on first-party data collection and clean room partnerships.
- The global contextual advertising market was valued at USD 301 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.2% between 2025 and 2034. In the UK, a 2022 government report indicated that over 70% of marketers believe contextual advertising will become dominant within the next five years. - While Google has delayed the complete phase-out of third-party cookies, it introduced a new browser experience in July 2024 to give Chrome users more control over their cookie preferences. This followed the official discontinuation of the Privacy Sandbox initiative in April 2025, which had aimed to create new web standards for accessing user information without third-party cookies. - A 2024 global survey indicated that nearly one-third of both in-house and agency marketers still heavily rely on third-party cookies for campaign execution. However, 71% of publishers now see first-party data as a key driver of positive advertising results, up from 64% in 2024. - The shift to a CTO role in a scaling B2B SaaS company requires a transition from hands-on coding to strategic leadership. Core responsibilities evolve to include setting architectural direction, recruiting senior engineering leaders, managing budgets, and balancing technical debt against innovation. - Enterprise AI agents are moving beyond simple task automation to autonomously manage complex, end-to-end workflows by integrating with systems like ERP and CRM. This "agentic process automation" can potentially automate 50% or more of operations, a significant increase from the 20-30% covered by traditional automation. - In the first three quarters of 2025, UK tech companies raised $12 billion in equity funding, with London-based firms securing £9.2 billion of the £11.7 billion total for the year. Adtech companies in the UK raised $33.4 million in the first half of 2025, a 41.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. - For the 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari has notably switched to a pull-rod front suspension, an aerodynamically-driven change representing a significant risk in the final year of the current technical regulations. Additionally, all teams are now required to run a rookie driver in four Free Practice 1 sessions throughout the season, doubling the previous requirement.
