This Company Is Paying People to Decline Cookies

You visit a website and, as usual, it prompts you to either accept or decline cookies. But this time it's different: You decline the cookies. And that could make you a Klaviyo contest winner. Unfortunately, prompting people to accept or decline cookies is ineffective when roughly half the consumers in the U.S. tend to click "accept," despite knowing their data is being tracked for better search results and relevant ad targeting, per poll results by YouGov via The Drum. Although cookies are going to disappear in 2023, people are still uncertain when it comes to having control over their data. Since there are still many who don’t realize they can leverage this control with a simple click, this campaign is hoping to increase consumer awareness about how to handle your own data. But it’s also a wake-up call for the ad industry to make its privacy settings clearer, which can ultimately build consumer loyalty. Cookies or cash? Click to choose To offer consumers a better idea about what's happening with their data, SMS and email marketing platform Klaviyo launched a campaign where it pays people $100 to decline cookies. The company invested $5,000 in its “Bye Cookies, Hello Cash” sweepstakes campaign. Through the contest landing page, the campaign aims to educate people on what cookies are, how they work and what it really means to "accept all cookies" on websites. While the campaign is running posts on Klaviyo's social media channels, no additional money has been spent on running ads, according to a company spokesperson. Educating consumers about what they’re accepting and opting into is a priority for Klaviyo, according to svp global head of marketing Kady Srinivasan. The contest rules are straightforward: Participants are required to send a screenshot of themselves declining cookies and email it to nocookies@klaviyo.com. Only one entry per individual is accepted. The contest opens today to U.S. residents who are 18 or older, though Klaviyo hopes it will reach people across the country of all ages. The campaign's success will be measured by the number of screenshot entries it receives and website traffic. At the end of the campaign, Klaviyo will send the first 39 people to send a submission a $100 Visa gift card, and one randomly selected winner will win a $1,000 Visa gift card. The campaign ends on May 31. Publishers Feel Better Prepped for the Post-Cookie Future, New Data Finds