As AdTechs follow a crucial role in the digital marketing sector, driven by technological advances and changes in consumer expectations. In 2024 specifically, the AdTech universe was the stage for two central debates: the discontinuation of cookies and the ubiquitous use of Artificial Intelligence. And, as everything indicates, they promise to continue their prominence this year, along with other challenges. 

Regarding cookies, if they raise concerns from society regarding user privacy, they are also essential for ad personalization, providing a more relevant experience for the consumer. With browsers gradually phasing out support for third-party cookies, it is up to AdTechs to focus on alternative solutions for tracking and personalization, for example. 

On the other hand, the use of Artificial Intelligence tools focused on online and offline campaigns began to revolutionize how AdTechs can deliver results for their clients. AI, especially in its generative aspect, is already changing the sector’s landscape. With an initial focus on reducing operational costs, the tools become even more accessible and dominant in 2025 for ad personalization and optimization, helping companies to offer more efficient and targeted campaigns. 

Hybrid monetization, a strategy that combines different formats to increase revenue, is expected to expand beyond the world of applications – with AI also being its driving force. After all, the approach that allows combining ads and purchases on the same platform is likely to be adopted by various sectors, and the use of AI can project scenarios and assist in developing more efficient strategies. In addition, AdTech platforms that help companies diversify their revenue sources are expected to stand out, as more advertisers are likely to explore their inventories. 

In the macro scenario, with advertising budgets optimized to the extreme, the preference for direct value metrics, such as CPA (Cost per Acquisition), ROAS (Return on Advertising Investment), and LTV (Lifetime Value of a Customer), will continue to grow, where AI again assists in creating reports and monitoring result panels. 

AI-powered AdTech platforms help automatically adjust investments in real-time, directing more resources to channels or campaigns that are performing better. In this case, indicators associated with ‘vanity metrics’, such as CPM (Cost per thousand Impressions) and CPC (Cost per Click), are expected to lose relevance as advertisers seek more effective returns for their investments. 

The world without cookies? 

Even with the overwhelming rise of AIs, the main goal for 2025 will be to find solutions that harmonize and balance the dichotomy of privacy and personalization, meeting consumer expectations and advertisers’ needs. In parallel, in a constantly evolving advertising market, companies will need to demonstrate agility and diversify their monetization strategies. 

Parallel to this, retail media is also one of the highlights of digital marketing this year. Faced with a shortage of advertising inventory, this modality emerges as an interesting solution, especially for small and medium retailers who can more easily exploit their own advertising spaces. Moreover, the use of primary data in these channels, without the need to share information with third parties, can simplify privacy-related issues.

Thus, retailers transform their digital channels into secondary sources of revenue and enhance the information ecosystem, offering relevant advertising content that helps strengthen relationships with consumers. In this regard, with consumers increasingly inclined to make purchases via apps rather than browsers, apps consolidate as a strategic channel for AdTechs.

Not by chance, tools offered by streaming platforms already enable merchants to reach app audiences without the need to create an app from scratch, expanding the possibilities for acquiring new users. Furthermore, apps, especially in the gaming sector, are expected to become a significant source of advertising inventory, combining ads with in-app purchases.

As advertising budgets migrate even more rapidly from broadcast TV to digital, creativity in exploring new inventories and creating interesting ads is currently the key focus. The challenge for AdTech companies is significant but presents countless opportunities.

Finally, one of the major challenges in the sector continues to be rethinking the approach to advertisements, which are often seen as irrelevant or intrusive. To capture the consumer’s attention, it is essential that advertising brings added value instead of just being a source of annoyance to a potential customer. 

*Jessé Benedito is the Lead Manager of Partnerships at Yango Ads Space in Brazil