Anthony Katsur IAB: Cookies, CTV, and the Fingerprinting Fiasco - #adtech #adtechgod

Welcome to another episode of The ADOTAT Show — where ad tech comes to get emotionally undressed and no buzzword leaves with its dignity intact.

This time, we’re graced — again — by the one and only Anthony Katsur, CEO of IAB Tech Lab and unofficial frequent flyer of our guest chair. That’s right: third time on the show. At this point, we’re contractually obligated to get him a branded mug or start issuing loyalty points. Possibly both.

And what are we unpacking? Oh, just the usual carnival of chaos that is digital advertising:

Google’s Cookie Resurrection Tour: Just when we were planning the eulogy, Chrome said “never mind.” Is this a smart industry save or a Groundhog Day reboot with worse privacy implications?

CTV’s Glow-Up: Is Connected TV really the golden child of media innovation — or just linear TV wearing a trench coat and pretending to be digital? Spoiler: There’s more emotion than logic, and also some QR codes that know you better than your therapist.

Fingerprinting — the F-word of Ad Tech: Is it a gentle handshake or a biometric tattoo you didn’t ask for? Anthony dives into the nuance while Pesach gleefully pokes the bear.

Fraud: The Rash That Won’t Go Away: We talk ad fraud like it’s an STD the entire industry pretends not to have. Why is no one willing to fund the research to actually figure out how bad it is? (Spoiler: Fear of finding out. Yes, FOFO is real.)

Desert Island Ad Tech: We strand Anthony Katsur on an imaginary island (again) and make him choose his survival tools. Hint: They’re nerdier than a Swiss Army knife but just as useful if your metric dashboard crashes mid-campaign.

Legacy, Leadership, and Lying to Ourselves: Anthony gets personal about his journey from NetGravity to now, drops names (yes, Megan Pagliuca, we see you), and waxes philosophical about why ad tech needs to stop beating itself up — and each other — like some deranged Fight Club in a WeWork.

This isn’t a fireside chat. It’s a flamethrower session. If you’re in the business of digital media, you owe it to yourself to watch two people call B.S. on the things we all pretend are working.

Subscribe, argue in the comments, and maybe — just maybe — ask your DSP how it’s really feeling.

Stay Bold. Stay Curious. Know More Than You Did Yesterday.