Yanina RohovskaAs the digital advertising landscape evolves, the shift toward a privacy-first approach reshapes how publishers and advertisers operate. Despite Google delaying the deprecation of third-party cookies, the industry is swiftly moving toward solutions that prioritize user privacy and data protection. At TeqBlaze, we’re committed to helping our clients navigate these changes, so we’re excited to continue our interview series with industry thought leaders.
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Jessica Werner, Senior Director of Publisher Operations at ID5. With an impressive background at Freestar and Sonobi, Jessica is now driving privacy-first solutions and global growth at ID5. In this interview, she shares her insights on the future of digital advertising, Google’s recent decisions, and the innovative initiatives ID5 is leading to help publishers thrive in a privacy-focused world.
Get ready for key insights into the future of ad tech and how privacy-first solutions are shaping the industry!
* * *
Yanina: Could you please share with us about your journey before joining ID5 and your current role in the company?
Jessica: I’ve spent the past decade in AdTech advocating for publishers, supporting their operations, monetization, and addressability. My experience has primarily focused on account management, yield management, campaign management, and overall strategy, providing a consultative approach. Now at ID5, I enjoy educating publishers on protecting their first-party data and users best while maintaining an addressable inventory. My team supports publishers worldwide who aren’t sure where to start regarding identity. We connect them with the identity solution they need to meet their goals.
What role do you play within ID5, and what are your primary responsibilities?
Jessica: At ID5, my team and I bridge the gap between supply and demand by making the ID5 ID available in as many bid requests as possible to support data protection. We also help drive increased revenue in the face of a fragmented ecosystem where third-party cookies or other signals are not always available. My team and I pride ourselves on being able to address misconceptions and answer questions that publishers may have been chasing for years. We onboard publisher partners in every market and ensure they’re set up for success for buyers to leverage the ID5 ID at scale.
Google recently decided to delay removing third-party cookies from Chrome. Did your experts expect this?
Jessica: How does this change ID5's plans and predictions? a. It was inevitable that at some point, Google would either commit and move forward or bring all efforts to a screeching halt. With a 50/50 toss-up hanging in the air for almost 5 years, that left the industry plenty of time to prepare for an either/or scenario. In this new scenario, it will be users that remove or opt-out of third-party cookies. So the leg work publishers and advertisers have done to prepare over the past few years certainly hasn’t been in vain.
Regardless of Google’s plans, we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that third party cookies have already been depreciated or not in other environments, including browsers like Safari and Firefox or channels such as CTV, audio, or gaming, ID5 has and will continue to provide a solution to publishers seeking protection for their users and user data. ID5’s solutions offer publishers a global currency in the environments where they have already felt the impact. Our plans remain the same, help publishers make sense of the new ecosystem and adapt to an ever-changing market where all players have something to gain.
Could you discuss any recent initiatives at ID5 that you’re particularly excited about?
Jessica: I’m excited about our publisher product suite and supply side partnerships that help us move the needle for our publisher partners. Identity is our bread and butter. ID5’s nimble Product team is always looking for new ways to innovate that directly support our publishers' goals. Recently, we rolled out ‘Identity Insights’ to report on the impact of ID5 and a partnership with The Trade Desk, where we can support the passing of the EUID for our publishers with a European footprint. We have a number of other new products currently in alpha testing by trusted publishers as well as some exciting partnerships we’re looking forward to announcing in the coming months. Stay tuned and follow our exciting journey across ID5’s social channels.
Looking ahead to 2025, what do your experts think digital advertising will look like?
Jessica: If we’ve learned anything from the past few years, expect the unexpected. Digital advertising evolves rapidly, whether its technology changes, legislation, or industry shifts prompted by big players in our space. It’ll be particularly interesting to see how the upcoming Google/DOJ ad tech antitrust case plays out. Either way it goes, the industry will certainly feel the impact of the ruling. b. While we can’t predict anything for certain there are a few trends we know are here to stay. The first is privacy-conscious advertising. Consumers will continue to adopt a privacy-first mindset. Additionally, privacy regulations and enforcement will continue to influence this space. We’ll also see relatively new channels like CTV, audio, and gaming to become increasingly important. Although these channels don’t use third-party cookies, they have their unique addressability challenges and signal loss hurdles.
What big projects or new directions is ID5 planning for the next year?
Jessica: ID5 has dominated the web corner in the ecosystem year over year, which we will continue to nurture to the same degree that we have been. At the same time, we recognize how important it is to lend that same support in all corners. We’re excited to double down on non-web with a growing CTV, audio, and in-app presence. We pride ourselves on being a solution available to all partners anywhere in the world across all channels. That isn’t changing anytime soon, only getting bigger and stronger.
How do you balance professional demands with personal life, and what tips can you offer for managing stress?
Jessica: I’m fortunate to be able to say that I work at a company where work-life balance is hardcoded into our culture. I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum and now know first-hand how important the saying is, “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. Environment and energy are huge - are you in an environment that supports that balance? Is the work you’re doing giving you energy or draining your energy? I can answer both - ID5 has an incredible benefits program that allots us gym reimbursement that I use for biohacking, a personal development stipend that I use for personal growth, and generous time off. For stress management, I adopt breathwork, movement, creative hobbies, a support system, and investments into my mindset.
As a woman in technology and leadership, what initiatives do you think are important for supporting career advancement for women in the tech industry?
Jessica: I’m a strong believer in having the right people in your corner. If there are rooms you’re not in yet, you need to have trust in the people that are in those rooms who can sing your praise. A former manager/mentor of mine used to tell me at least once a month, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’. One of my interpretations of that is, nothing is as important to your career advancement as your environment. Know when to stay, know when to pivot, and have trust in yourself if you need to walk away. In that same breath, I’d highlight a mantra I always carry with me “When you get to where you're going, don't forget to turn back around. Help the next one in line, always stay humble and kind.” The most important thing we can do is keep stock of who is in our corner, and when we get into the right rooms, turn around and see who is next in line
* * *
As the ad tech landscape shifts toward a privacy-first future, leaders like Jessica and companies like ID5 are paving the way with innovative solutions. With her insights and expertise, it’s clear that while challenges lie ahead, there are also exciting opportunities for growth and transformation in digital advertising. Stay tuned as the industry evolves, and let’s embrace the future of privacy-focused innovation together.
