Cookie-less Future Could Serve as a Back-To-Basics

With marketers preparing for a cookie-less future in advertising, the vice president of global marketing, Paramount+ at ViacomVBS, Michael Ribero, says it is an opportunity for professionals to revisit the basics and see new businesses emerge. With the rise of Over-The-Top and Connected TV, targeting has seen its various evolutions, and the disappearance of cookies will just lead to another iteration. Coincidentally, The Washington Post announced today that Michael will step up as their chief subscription officer, effective August 16, 2021. Check out his career-long learnings, how he connected families over entertainment during quarantine and more! How did you get to where you are today? Any noteworthy aha-moments along the way? I think it might be fate. My dad was a marketer, and I always said marketing was the last thing I’d do. I started my career in the furthest thing from marketing: investment banking. But years later, I went to business school and found marketing. Today, my sister is a talented marketer so you can say marketing is the family business. I love our family calls where we always wind up talking about how we might approach each other’s marketing projects. My aha moment was during my first marketing course project when I thought there was one right answer and I was wrong. As we reviewed in class, I heard many creative ways to solve the same issue. That space for creativity had me hooked. I hope to bring the journey full circle one day and inspire the next generation as a teacher. What's the most innovative thing you recently worked on? I feel lucky because it seems like every day, I am working on something that is the coolest thing I’ve done. I helped launch Paramount+ with a Super Bowl ad, then led the launch of a new, ad-supported product. Now I am working to rethink the future of family movie night, with a campaign focused on promoting our expanding movie catalogue and our new distribution models such as launching movies directly on our service. But I’d call out a campaign I led while at Sling TV where we launched a new feature called Watch Party. This was at the height of COVID where people were starved to connect with their loved ones. This feature allowed people to connect via video while watching TV. We did an ad about a multigenerational family connecting over Sunday morning cartoons, and it was spot-on for the environment. On top of how well the ad performed, it was an amazing effort from my internal Sling team and the very talented team at Mekansim. What new or up-and-coming innovation(s) are you most excited about and how do you think it will change the future of marketing? I’m keen on being prepared for the removal of cookies for two reasons. First, I think it will force marketers to refocus on the basics like targeting and messaging. Second, a cookie-less future will inspire a new generation of innovative companies helping marketers target better. I’m advising a company called Reach that is rethinking the relationship between advertisers and consumers where consumers are compensated for their data. It’s cool stuff! Additionally, I must mention the rise of internet-delivered TV such as OTT and CTV. It’s interesting to see the convergence of the best qualities of linear TV and digital come together. I’m a big fan of how measurement has evolved with vendors like iSpot. What’s one piece of work from your career that you’re the proudest of? When I was at Visa we partnered with Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player, to launch a campaign during the NFL Draft. The campaign highlighted the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion and how VISA helps support inclusion. This happened in 2014 before more brands were taking a stand on issues. I combined personal growth with purpose and business performance all in one effort. I’ve yet to have those three dynamics come together so perfectly again. Was there ever a time where you questioned your career path? How did you handle that? A year after I took my first marketing role, my spouse’s residency required us to move and me to leave an amazing role at Visa. But a few things helped me during that time. First, I let myself be bummed out for a while; ice cream helped at this point. Then, talked to as many people as I could. I opened my definition of success and tried to enjoy what my situation provided. I got to be a stay-at-home parent and that was so rewarding (and exhausting). I leaned on people to help me when I couldn’t do it alone. What is one skill that you think is currently underdeveloped in marketing? Every marketer should be knowledgeable in finance. Knowing common concepts like revenue, profitability and the time value of money will pay huge dividends. This shifts the internal organizational dynamics and marketing goes from a cost center to a business driver. If you can talk the language of the CFO, they will be marketing’s biggest fan. Mastercard CMCO Shares the Blueprint for Cross-Functional Team Stability How do you pick and develop the talent on your team? I look for intellect, curiosity, emotional aptitude and a diversity of experience. As a career switcher, I believe in taking a chance on a non-traditional candidate. On development, I try to incorporate learning in our standard operating procedures. In team meetings, we cover a recent marketing article and a key topic like finance or marketing strategy more formally. What's a way that you predict marketing will change as more people begin traveling/going out again? I am paying attention to how people’s habits will change around media consumption. I see consumers increasingly comfortable in being outside of their residence, so I’m thinking about how to keep our existing customers engaged and where to communicate with prospective customers. What’s the first post to come to mind when you hear 'best-in-class social'? I am impressed by the work The Washington Post is doing on Tik Tok. I am a huge fan of Dave Jorgenson, the main personality, and how he’s grown a following to nearly 1 million. It’s fascinating to see him and The Post lead on new media platforms and make news and politics accessible for the next generation. https://www.tiktok.com/@washingtonpost/video/6980367425690733830?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6898439919481013766 What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? It depends. Like marketing, where we try to get the right message to the right customer in the right moment, advice is the same. I’ve been lucky to find people in my career that genuinely care about my success and I keep in touch with them, especially during big career moments or problems where I need additional perspective. I come from a sports background, and I am a sucker for a good mantra. A few are, “we are smarter than me,” “do the simple things savagely well,” and “we become what we repeatedly do.” You're also part of the Adweek Executive Mentorship Program. What has been the biggest takeaway from your time with your mentor? First, I can’t tell you how lucky I am to be paired with Andrea Zaretsky. She is smart, easy to talk to and fun! She is truly a special mentor. She’s experienced all the topics I’ve asked about and points out things to think about two or three steps ahead. I appreciated how she has guided me at times to help answer my own questions. It’s a radically different experience when you stop thinking about a topic versus when you start talking about it and receive feedback. Sometimes, it’s her helping me get out of my own way. ‘Gamer’ Label Is Outdated, Says Electronic Arts’ VP of Brand

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A Cookie-less Future Could Serve as a 'Back-to-Basics for all Marketers'

The Washington Post's new chief subscription officer Michael Ribero talks the future of targeting

Julian Gamboa

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Julian Gamboa