Apple, Google forcing a rethink in advertising industry: Maurice Levy

Maurice Levy, chair of French multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis Groupe

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Digital privacy moves from Apple and Google are forcing the advertising industry to reconsider the way it works, Publicis Groupe’s Maurice Levy told CNBC.

The chairman of the world’s third-biggest advertising company said changes to Apple’s iOS smartphone software and Google’s Chrome web browser meant advertisers were having to “revisit the whole way we are working.”

“It’s not a clear win” for traditional ad agencies, Levy told CNBC’s Karen Tso Monday.

“Privacy is extremely important,” he added. “And I think the fact that all those platforms are taking care of the privacy of the consumers and their customers is something which is extraordinarily important. But this is leading to a revisit of the way we are working.”

Apple this year started forcing app developers on its platforms to ask permission before they can collect unique identifiers used by advertisers to target mobile ads and measure how effective they are.

The company had already banned the use of unauthorized third-party cookies — which many advertisers rely on to track internet users and serve them with personalized ads — on its Safari browser.

Now, Google also plans to ditch third-party cookies on Chrome, and is in the process of searching for an alternative. Last week, the tech giant said it would give Britain’s competition regulator a say in its proposal to replace cookies.

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