Ad targeting via third-party cookies is currently impossible on Safari and Firefox browsers, which account for 40% of browsing today. Because of this, the value of publishers’ inventory on these sites is significantly decreased, while advertisers face the challenge of reaching their audiences effectively. These issues will only increase in 2023, when Google plans to also stop supporting third-party cookies in Chrome.

In anticipation of this new era of digital advertising, Prisma Media Solutions, Adot and Smart SSP wanted to test the value of the ID5 ID, the next generation universal identifier that does not rely on third-party cookies. To do this, Adot called on Blue 449 Agency and their client Bouygues Telecom, one of the largest Internet Service Providers and mobile operators in France.

To understand the impact the ID5 ID would have on reach, an A/B test was implemented: two identical campaigns were run simultaneously for a month on Prisma Media Solutions’ inventory in March 2022, with the only differing factor being the data segments; one of which was based on the ID5 ID, and the other on third-party cookies. Smart’s technology enabled it to identify and flag the users attached to an ID5 ID, and to target them as an alternative without relying on third-party cookies. 

A/B testing results confirm the effectiveness of ID5 ID in maximizing the value of publisher inventory and helping advertisers increase their reach at scale in cookie-free environments, while maintaining the same media budget. The running of the campaign through ID5 on Safari and Firefox environments generated an additional audience equivalent to +23 points of coverage.