In the evolving landscape of digital marketing, third-party cookies (TPCs) have long been the backbone behind behavioural targeting and personalised ad strategies. Whilst Google has shelved (for now) plans to remove TPCs on Chrome, the UK’s most-used browser, marketers would be wise to prepare for a seismic shift in how they acquire and activate user data to be protected from any changes on Chrome in the future.
This isn’t just a technical change. It’s a challenge to the foundational assumptions of modern digital strategy and a clear signal that marketers must earn trust, not extract it.
The Cookie Crumbles: From Convenience to Controversy
Originally conceived in the 1990s as a way to store information across web sessions, cookies evolved into a mechanism for user tracking and targeting. Third-party cookies, in particular, enabled advertisers to monitor browsing habits across domains – supporting retargeting, frequency capping, and audience segmentation.
Yet this utility came at a cost. As public consciousness around digital privacy rose, third-party tracking fell under increasing scrutiny. While Safari and Firefox have already restricted TPCs, Google’s dominant browser, Chrome, has had an on-off commitment to removing them from Chrome.
The Rise of the Walled Garden
With TPCs removed, marketers will no longer have easy access to cross-platform behavioural data. Instead, major platforms, especially Google, will consolidate data their own ecosystems, effectively creating walled gardens.
In such an environment, digital marketers become increasingly dependent on platform-specific analytics, targeting tools, and paid data access. The result: higher costs, reduced transparency, and a significant loss of autonomy.
Zero-Party Data: The New Frontier
Zero-party data, information that a customer intentionally shares with a brand, offers a privacy-forward, ethically sound alternative. But consumers, particularly digital natives, don’t give away data freely. They expect value, control, and relevance.
This is especially true for Gen Z, who present a fascinating paradox: they accept cookies more frequently than older generations, seeking hyper-personalised experiences, and yet are among the heaviest users of ad blockers and privacy tools. This “avoidance–annoyance” paradox (McKee et al., 2023) reveals a deep ambivalence: Gen Z craves relevance, but not at the expense of agency.
Digital Incentivisation: A New Value Exchange
So how can brands earn zero-party data in a post-cookie world? One answer lies in digital incentivisation – offering users meaningful rewards in exchange for their data, time, or preferences.
From discounts and early access to loyalty programmes and prize draws, incentives create a reciprocal relationship between consumer and brand. But not all incentives are created equal, especially when it comes to Gen Z.
The graphic above illustrates the relative appeal of different types of incentives based on emerging research and industry insights. Discounted prices, loyalty rewards, and early access are especially effective for Gen Z, who value both experiential and transactional benefits.
A Research-Driven Approach to the Post-Cookie Transition
To support this transition, my current research explores the following questions:
- What types of incentives are most effective at encouraging Gen Z users to share their data?
- Which incentive formats align best with key digital behaviours once monitored via TPCs?
- How can marketers build trust, not dependency, in a platform-dominated ecosystem?
The study will gather quantitative data from UK-based Gen Z participants to rank incentives by perceived value and willingness to share personal data.
From Exploitation to Empowerment
The end of third-party cookies isn’t the end of data-driven marketing – it’s a rebalancing. Marketers must move from extracting value from users to creating value with them. Incentivisation, when done ethically, represents a powerful tool to empower users and build brand trust in a transparent, mutually beneficial way.
To thrive beyond the walled garden, brands must meet digital natives on their own terms, offering not just personalised experiences, but meaningful exchanges.
What’s Next?
This blog marks the beginning of an academic inquiry that I’ll be documenting in the months ahead. Expect to see:
- Survey results and behavioural insights
- A framework for ethical digital incentivisation
- Recommendations for zero-party data campaign strategies
If you’re interested in collaborating, contributing insights, or accessing the research findings once published, feel free to get in touch.