Talking Shop January 2024

The Cookie Begins to Crumble

Google Chrome finally began phasing out third-party cookies with 1% being removed this month, marking a pivotal change in digital advertising and user privacy. Full rollout is scheduled for later in 2024. This move limits advertisers’ ability to target and attribute results from display advertising. To help address this, Google have developed their Privacy Sandbox, which provides a way to share a subset of user info without compromising privacy, and other suppliers are testing solutions too.

Amazon Prime Introduces Ads

Amazon is set to introduce adverts to its Prime Video streaming service from 5 February 2024, increasing the SVOD adoptions available to advertisers. Customers in the UK and Germany will see “limited” ads unless they pay an additional £2.99 per month to remove them. Previously, rivals such as Disney+ and Netflix introduced cheaper ad-supported memberships. Reports suggest nearly 30% of new Netflix members now sign up for their ad-supported tier.

C4 Job Cuts

Meanwhile, over in the linear TV world, C4 announces this week that a round of major job cuts is looming, amidst the worst slump in TV advertising since 2008. As many as 200 jobs could go as the organisation accelerates plans to become a ‘genuinely digital first public service broadcaster’.

Bake Off Bonanza

C4 is also seeking bids for the sponsorship of Great British Bake Off and its spin-off shows in 2024. The much loved baking show is forecast to reach 56% of ABC1 adults in the UK over the 12 months. Sainsbury’s, who have sponsored it for the last 2 years, have not renewed, despite winning Campaign’s Sponsorship Award for their innovative Taste the Difference ‘Cake or Not Cake’ sponsorship credits.

Top Festive TV

How did you see in the bells? BARB data shows that the top TV programme over the festive period was the New Year’s Eve Fireworks on BBC1 with 11.4m viewers. Regular favourite, Call The Midwife, followed with 7.7m, then Doctor Who with 7.5m. The top programme on a commercial channel was Vera on Boxing Day, reaching 5.7m viewers. Over on Netflix people were tuning into for rather more alternative viewing, with 2 of the top 5 TV shows being fireplace footage!

Meta’s AI Powered Tools

Trials continue at TMS Towers of Meta’s AI tools. Advantage+ audience, creative and shopping offer automated ad solutions with (potentially) enhanced targeting and optimisation capabilities. Initial results are ambiguous, although advertiser feedback on creative enhancements is generally negative.