‘Brat Summer’ emerged as the social media phenomenon of 2024, sparked by the latest album release from singer-songwriter Charli XCX, and further fuelled by thousands of social influencers and creators worldwide. Commentators were quick to try to explain and define the trend which has been dominating both traditional and social media’s attention and has also propelled its own counterculture: being ‘demure’. A spiritual successor to the Spice Girls’ Girl Power movement of the 1990s, being ‘brat’ is about embracing imperfection, impulsiveness and brashness. Meanwhile, ‘demure’ champions refinement, subtlety and reliability.

Given some of the industry’s developments over the past few months, it could be argued that adland lived through a ‘Brat Summer’ of its own.

Third-party cookie disruption

Take, for example, Google Chrome and the ongoing discussions around signal deprecation. Google’s July decision to no longer proactively phase out third-party cookies but rather put the decision into the hands of its users, the consumer, was a decision that mostly took the industry by surprise. Charting its own course: a classic ‘Brat’ move.

But there’s more at play here. Over 50% of the web is already cookieless. Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge are cookieless; CTV is cookieless; mobile in-app is cookieless; the future of AI chat-bots and the IoT is cookieless. Indeed, a marketing stack centred on cookies overlooks the growing importance of directly engaging with consumers through authenticated first-party data.

Authenticated identity - that is, data directly linked to verified and consented consumer information - is the stable cornerstone of an effective digital marketing strategy. It offers a more reliable and privacy-compliant way to both track and engage consumers across multiple channels, leading to a more unified and personalised customer experience, and driving more revenue for brands in the long-run.

While Google’s decision may have stirred much conversation in the industry, it’s important for marketers not to get distracted by the continuation of third-party cookies and focus on the broader goal. Creating a seamless, omnichannel customer experience based on connectivity that respects privacy. All of which is underpinned by authenticated identity.

The CTV and retail media “Brats”

Other areas of adland in which there have been ‘Brat’ attributes, forcing change and disruption, include CTV and retail media network platforms, both of which have been growing rapidly and present new opportunities as well as challenges.

Addressing the limitations of legacy media measurement, these platforms enable brands to better understand and better engage their audiences across all the channels where time is spent. CTV has significant appeal due to the scale it offers and its high levels of engagement, but the platforms can be cautious about sharing their first-party data due to privacy concerns. While improvements are being made, and when made actionable this data is very valuable for media planning purposes, the industry is still evolving its approach to leveraging this customer data effectively.

Retail media networks, on the other hand, are particularly valued for not only their combination of first-party data but also their coveted ability to provide closed-loop measurement tied to outcomes. Moreover, the retail media template is being copied across various industries. Companies with rich first-party data insights - from airlines and hotels to delivery services and sports organisations - are following in retailer’s footsteps by launching their own commerce media networks. These new platforms not only carve out new revenue paths, but also provide advertisers with unique behavioural data, expanding the landscape for targeted advertising.

While the retail/commerce media model is still developing, with industry discussions surrounding the need for standardisation and self-service options, their proposition to the market is maturing quickly.

As cross-screen measurement and media networks continue to scale, the industry is increasingly recognising the value of data collaboration in driving ROI. The ongoing focus on education and expertise in data collaboration will help both CTV and these emerging networks to realise their full potential.

Responsible AI 

Then, of course, there’s AI. Perhaps the ultimate adland ‘Brat’, AI has the potential to revolutionise the digital media industry. Particularly in its automation of insights and increasing time to value (TTV) for analysing customer intelligence.

Of course, AI also brings challenges, particularly around privacy. If not carefully managed, AI could present unforeseen consequences for the advertising industry. Companies that adopt a privacy-by design approach will protect themselves against inevitable regulation directed at how consumer data is used by this transformative technology.

Adland’s ‘demure’ autumn?

So, as pop culture attention shifts from the bold and rebellious ‘Brat’ to the more understated and predictable ‘demure’, will we see a similar change in adland? The answer is that it is already happening.

Over the past five years, there has been a strategic shift away from third-party signals to better-performing, authenticated signals – a trend that will continue, despite Google’s most recent announcement. Marketers should still reduce their reliance on third-party cookies by focusing on privacy centric, first-party data as a sustainable alternative. Authenticated identity, along with data collaborations with trusted partners, will be key to achieving tangible results in both CTV and retail media networks, and will underpin the direction of many AI strategies.

The ad industry stands to gain more by evolving beyond its ‘messy’ phase and embracing a more data-driven approach - If this is ‘demure’, then it is only in being more reliable, as the results of this approach can never be overstated.

Forget ‘Brat Summer.’ It’s time for adland to focus on building a future grounded in authenticated identity, data collaboration, and new measurement standards that align with fast-evolving regulations and consumer expectations.