The turbulent (and annoying for many) world of digital advertising is approaching a turning point, which has been dubbed the post-cookie era, inspired by legislation that protects the privacy of user data. Google, considered the most used search engine in the world, had promised to abandon the collection of personal data next year, but has not yet announced the date. A reluctance on their part would be understandable, because for decades this data has served as food for their flourishing advertising business. Others, like Apple, have gone ahead of it, but Google’s proportions are so superior that its movement will define the change of era. All players in the digital market have taken note and are preparing accordingly.
Among them, the four large European telecommunications operators – Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone – have thought that the conditions were in place to insert themselves directly into the advertising exploitation of their millionaire flow of users; In a word, compete with Google and others in a market with many twists and turns.
The four have conspired to develop a common tool, to which each one can incorporate its own features and to which other companies with equal interest in reducing the hegemony of Google, Facebook or Amazon, the best-known in the business, can adhere – without associating – .
The figure chosen by the founding partners is a consortium that is based in Brussels, has a share capital of 14 million euros – 25% each partner – and whose function is to intervene in the advertising market in this favorable situation for them.
The consortium was established in March and began its activity in June with a rather far-fetched company name, UTIQ, which combines the phoneme U (you) with the particle TIQ (the tic of consent). Because consent is the centerpiece of the entire business model; Without him nothing would have changed. UTIQ is, therefore, a huge turn for this digital industry, driven by legislation that in Europe – and with nuances in the United States – has encouraged them to measure forces with those who cut the (digital) cod.
Marc Bresseels, CEO of UTIQ, points out that the largest telcos in Europe tend to be among the brands that spend the most on digital advertising and marketing. “Therefore, they have reflected together and separately about their data management strategies, conditioned by current legislation. When addressing the thorny issue of digital identity (ID), UTIQ notes uneven functioning.
According to Breessels, there is something of the Wild West in this market that was born and operated at the whim of companies that cross different value chains, while the operators occupied a subordinate place. There are – he says – a large number of ID solutions, among which many do not strictly apply the consent rule, or do not apply it as indicated by law. For example, it is common that the way to revoke consent, generally obtained with little transparency, is not contemplated.
Initiatives have been taken over the years, but operators have not done much, despite internet traffic on mobile devices being at the center of the daily experience. Why? Breessels asks rhetorically. “In my opinion, because this industry has had little willingness to collaborate, until these operators have taken the step. In this landscape, technology companies have enjoyed the advantages of the “network effect.” A clearer initiative from the operators has never been seen,” he says. No others are expected to join the consortium in the short term.
