When the tequila runs out

It will be interesting to learn more about what Apple has up their sleeve next week, on Sept 7, 10am PST. According to TechCrunch, it will certainly be the next iPhone.

What we do know is mostly around iOS10, the next version of Apple's mobile Operating System (OS) aka “Sierra”. 

For those of us in the Ad Tech world, what is certain to come out of the iOS10 rollout is a drop in active deviceIDs or in Apple’s case, Identifiers for Advertisers (IDFAs). This is the unique identifier on each phone that helps advertisers target consumers with relevant ads, control frequency capping of ads, and adhere to privacy concerns by allowing consumers to reset the identifier.

Today, when the consumer selects to “Limit Ad Tracking”, the publisher is still passed the IDFA. It is strongly recommended and best practice to purge that data from ad serving technologies. Yet, in the new world order where a cookie is only valuable on desktop and consumers move en masse to mobile devices, the IDFA reigns supreme. Many companies continue to use the IDFA, some ignoring the suggestions on best practice.

Starting next week, publishers and their Ad Tech partners will not be passed the IDFA, but rather a string of 0s. This will have a significant impact on all cross-device platforms, data management platforms (DMPs), location targeting companies, attribution companies and brand research companies. Basically anything remotely innovative in mobile. The struggle is real.

As we enter the single busiest period of the year, companies that do not inherently live and breathe mobile will scramble around the notion of innovating at the speed Apple and Google often dictate to the ecosystem that lives beneath the App and OS infrastructure. 

You might want to grab an extra cocktail when you hit the beach this weekend. You’re going to need it. Winter is coming…

This round is on me - https://goo.gl/vvXek1

Be safe.