The marketing landscape of 2024 is not just a list of channels to activate. The real change lies in the regulatory and technical layer that conditions the collection, exploitation, and measurement of data. Ignoring these changes means optimizing campaigns on unstable foundations. We review the key areas that are fundamentally altering how to manage a marketing strategy this year.
Hybrid model of cookies and first-party data: what changes for marketing targeting
Google has finally abandoned the path of eliminating third-party cookies in Chrome. The direct consequence for marketing teams: the web without cookies will not happen in the announced form. The scenario that is emerging is a hybrid model, where third-party cookies, first-party data, and measurement alternatives coexist.
This turnaround does not mean a return to the status quo. Competing browsers maintain their restrictions, and European regulatory pressure on consent remains intact. Specifically, we recommend structuring the collection of proprietary data (customer accounts, loyalty programs, enriched forms) as a permanent foundation, while keeping third-party cookies as a complementary lever as long as they remain available on Chrome.
A common mistake is to treat first-party data as a mere technical replacement. It is primarily an organizational change: CRM, transactional, and behavioral data must directly feed advertising platforms. Without this integration, as detailed by marketing according to Geekette and Greluche, advertisers lose targeting granularity without gaining autonomy.
AI Act and marketing consent: two distinct legal regimes
A compliant cookie banner does not cover marketing uses based on AI. This is the blind spot of most compliance frameworks deployed in 2024. Cookie consent remains governed by ePrivacy and GDPR, but the European AI Act adds a layer of obligations specific to artificial intelligence systems that exploit this same data.
In practice, a brand using a predictive scoring tool, dynamic personalization, or automated segmentation must document how the model works, assess risks, and, in some cases, inform the user that they are interacting with an AI system. The European Commission published guidelines on AI system transparency in August 2026 that confirm this direction.
For marketing departments, this implies a cross-audit:
- Check that each AI tool used in acquisition or CRM is properly categorized according to the risk classification of the AI Act (minimal, limited, high)
- Ensure that the collection of consent explicitly covers algorithmic processing, not just cookie placement
- Document the logic of personalization to respond to user requests for explanation, an obligation that goes beyond the simple GDPR right of access
We observe that the majority of CDPs and DMPs on the market do not yet integrate this dual compliance. Companies that anticipate this challenge avoid an increasing regulatory risk.
Conversational advertising and generative AI: the missing consent framework
The integration of ads into conversational environments (chatbots, AI assistants, generative search interfaces) creates a new point of legal and technical friction. No standardized consent architecture exists for these formats.
The problem is structural. In a traditional search engine, the distinction between organic results and ads is clear. In an AI-generated response, the boundary becomes blurred. The user does not always know if the recommendation they receive is sponsored, and traditional consent mechanisms (banner, opt-in) do not apply to a real-time conversation.
For advertisers, this raises two operational questions:
- How to trace and attribute a conversion resulting from a conversational interaction, when there is neither a click nor an impression in the traditional sense
- How to ensure the advertising transparency required by the Digital Services Act in a format where editorial and commercial content mix
- How to manage the ROI of a placement in an AI assistant when standard metrics (CTR, CPM) do not capture the value of a contextual recommendation
This channel remains emerging, but brands that test conversational advertising now are accumulating a data advantage that latecomers will not easily catch up to.
Content strategy and short formats: balancing volume and depth
Reels, Shorts, and TikTok videos are no longer a trend; they are a broadcasting standard. The real question of 2024 is about resource allocation: should we produce more short content or invest in long formats with high conversion value?
We find that B2B brands that overemphasize short formats at the expense of in-depth content (white papers, case studies, webinars) see their conversion rates stagnate. The short format generates visibility and engagement, but conversion still largely relies on long and documented content.
The relevant trade-off is to use short formats as an entry point into a more dense content ecosystem. A twenty-second video that links to a technical article or an interactive tool creates a more profitable journey than a series of short videos disconnected from any nurturing logic.
The volume trap is real. Increasing publications without a structured editorial strategy dilutes brand signals and overloads teams. It is better to publish less, with a clear editorial line and content that addresses specific queries from the target audience.
Marketing in 2024 is no longer managed solely from advertising platforms. Regulatory compliance, data architecture, and content format choices form an operational triptych. Companies that address these three dimensions in an integrated manner, rather than as siloed topics, build a sustainable structural advantage.