2025 Digital Outlook: The First Party Future Event Wrap

The digital advertising landscape is evolving faster than ever, and first-party data is at the center of it all. On March 5th, 2025, IAB New Zealand hosted the '2025 Digital Outlook: First-Party Future' Event, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the future of data, privacy, and addressability in a post-cookie world.

The event sold out in 24 hours and included a stellar line up of international and local digital advertising experts including Lauren Wetzel CEO of InfoSum who joined from New York. A data clean room trail blazer, Lauren has been recognised by numerous awards including Campaign’s Inspiring Women and AdAge’s 40 Under 40 award. James Luty APAC Business Development Lead Amazon Ads joined from Sydney with big news - announcing that Amazon is launching Amazon Ads on Prime Video in New Zealand from Q3. Our expert local speaker panel included Susan Benseman, ANZ Head of Media & Marketing Performance, privacy guru Robyn Campbell from PwC New Zealand, Alice Elton Enterprise Account Executive Adobe, Ivan Fuyala Head of Ads Trade Me, Mac Wilson Development Team Lead Data & Ad Tech NZME - moderated by Chair of the IAB New Zealand Data, Privacy & Measurement Council Qassem Naim - Founder Team Circle. 

A big thank you to our premium event sponsor InfoSum, and our secondary event sponsors Amazon Web Services and NZME.

For those who missed this sold out event, you can listen to the highlights in the IAB NZ Insights Podast thanks to the power of Google NotebookLM and AI. Please note: This is an automatically generated AI podcast based on content from events and outputs and not the direct perspectives of the presenters or IAB New Zealand.  

For those who attended, check out the photo gallery here and  the event video below.

Members can download the keynote speaker presentations from the member-only resource section here

From earning consumer trust to leveraging AI and data clean rooms, here are the Top 10 Takeaways from the event:

1. First-Party Data: Earn It, Don’t Own It
Consumers now expect clear value exchanges for their data. Brands must prioritise transparency and build stronger relationships to gain consumer trust.

2. Privacy Is an Enabler, Not a Restriction
Instead of seeing privacy as a roadblock, the industry must embrace it as an opportunity to build better customer experiences and stronger loyalty.

3. Data Clean Rooms Facilitate Safe Collaboration
Platforms like Amazon Ads and InfoSum showcased how clean rooms allow brands to unlock insights without sharing raw data, ensuring privacy and compliance.

4. Measurement & Attribution Can't Just be Outsourced Anymore 
With the decline of third-party cookies, brands need to shift toward incrementality, econometrics, and first-party data strategies to accurately measure success.

5. Addressability at Scale Is a Balancing Act
AI-driven insights and interoperable identity solutions will play a crucial role in helping brands scale personalised experiences while maintaining privacy.

6. Contextual Targeting Endures Headwinds
With privacy restrictions increasing, AI-powered contextual advertising is becoming a powerful way to reach relevant audiences without relying on personal data.

7. AI Will Power the Next Era of First-Party Data Strategies
AI-driven segmentation and predictive modeling will help brands maximise first-party data while enhancing personalization in a privacy-compliant way.

8. Accountable, Retail Media Is Growing in New Zealand
With more retailers leveraging first-party commerce signals, brands now have access to more high-intent audience opportunities that deliver measurable results and accountability. 

9. Transparency & Consumer Control Are Expected
Consumers want more control over their data—brands that provide clear consent options and ethical data practices will lead the way.

10. Cross-Industry Collaboration Is Key
To navigate the first-party future, the industry must work together—advertisers, publishers, and platforms need to collaborate to unlock new opportunities.

"The First Party Future isn’t just about data & compliance — it’s the way we identify opportunities, how we address audiences, the channels we use, and how we measure the effectiveness. Brands that take ownership, invest, and build trust today will lead the future." - Qassem Naim, Chair IAB New Zealand Data, Privacy & Measurement Council, Founder Team Circle.