Digital
IDS 2024: First-Party Data in a Cookieless World: The Future of Targeting and Measuring
Mumbai: The 18th India Digital Summit, hosted by IAMAI, delved into the intricate world of advertising and the martech industry, amidst the evolving landscape of data privacy regulations. Held at the Jio Convention Centre in BKC on 27 February 2024, the event brought together industry leaders to discuss the paradigm shift towards first-party data utilisation in a cookieless environment.
Moderated by Vivek Malhotra from India Today Group, the panel comprised distinguished experts: Arnad Fraude from Nielsen, Shuvadip Banerjee representing ITC Ltd., Mohit Kumar of Havas Media Network India, and Shashank Srivastava from Maruti Suzuki India. Their insights shed light on navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing digital ecosystem.
In recent years, concerns over data privacy and the impending demise of third-party cookies have prompted a reevaluation of digital marketing strategies. The focus has shifted towards harnessing first-party data, which is collected directly from consumers through interactions with owned digital platforms. This transition heralds a more personalised and ethical approach to targeting and measuring campaign effectiveness.
Fraude emphasised the importance of leveraging first-party data to gain deeper insights into consumer behavior while respecting their privacy. He highlighted the need for transparent data practices and emphasized the role of consent in data collection.
Banerjee shared insights from ITC Ltd.’s journey towards building a robust first-party data infrastructure. He stressed the significance of data quality over quantity and advocated for investing in data analytics capabilities to derive actionable insights.
Joshi said the role of creativity and innovation in crafting narratives that resonate with consumers in a cookieless world. He also said the need for collaboration between creative and data teams to deliver personalized experiences at scale.
Srivastava provided perspectives from the automotive industry, highlighting the challenges of targeting niche audiences in a cookieless environment. He told that the importance of data partnerships and ecosystem integration in delivering seamless customer experiences across channels.
Overall, the session underscored the pivotal role of first-party data in driving effective digital marketing strategies amidst evolving privacy regulations. As the industry adapts to a cookieless future, organizations must prioritize transparency, consent, and data stewardship to build trust and deliver value to consumers.
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
