The advertising industry edges closer to one of the most significant changes in a decade, as Google plans to migrate 1% of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox early next year. Yet, marketers still lack preparedness for the deprecation of third-party cookies. In a new survey from YouGov, commissioned by Adform, almost half of respondents believe that finding a solution to replace third-party cookies is critical to future success. However, only 33% think they are well prepared for their removal. 

The research, which surveyed 331 marketers in the UK, is a stark reminder of the changes that the industry must imminently face. Despite an understanding that finding solutions is important, only 36% agree that they are fully aware of the solutions available to replace third-party cookies. 

Regardless of the underprepared consensus, there is a clear desire for marketers to take greater ownership of their ad spend and technology stack. Almost 80% of respondents are eager to understand how their budget is allocated between media, technology, and other costs. At the same time, marketers are also torn on who to trust with their spend, with 50% believing the Walled Gardens are not transparent.

“These insights are deeply concerning. Marketers are clearly aware that they need to put solutions in place but lack traction when it comes to understanding the potential impact of the removal of cookies or where really to begin in taking back control of their media plans, ” Philip Acton, UK country manager at Adform comments. “Considering Google has delayed this multiple times, marketers have had ample time to prepare. For the majority that are still lagging behind, if they really want to make their spend work for them, they need to focus on working with transparent partners, with the right expert