Observed Signal · Apr 14, 2025 · Technical Release · Source: Marketecture · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
ID Bridging: A Bridge Too Far in AdTech
Marketecture’s analysis centers on identity in programmatic bidding, focusing on SSP ID shenanigans and the new term 'ID Bridging.' The piece explains how a cookieless future could push advertisers and DSPs to rely on cross-bridged IDs across devices or browsers, using IP addresses to map to different IDs or to persistent identifiers like RampID or UID2. It emphasizes the OpenRTB specification’s flexible identity representations (e.g., user.id, user.buyeruid, and the eid object) and warns that many IDs can be fake or transient, injected into bid streams to evade controls such as frequency caps. The article advocates for stronger disclosure and taxonomy alignment to combat fraud and cites AdWeek coverage while outlining related identity developments. It concludes that determinism of IDs is a critical risk for targeting and measurement, calling for ongoing visibility and governance in the identity ecosystem.
Identity / ID bridging discussion with potential industry impact on targeting and measurement
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The Marketecture episode discusses SSP ID shenanigans and 'ID Bridging' in ad tech.
- ID Bridging is described as using an IP address to bridge to an ID on a different browser or OS, or to a persistent ID such as RampID or UID2.
- OpenRTB identity representations include user.id, user.buyeruid, and the eid object.
- Fake cookies or SSP cookies can be injected into bid streams to game DSPs and bypass frequency caps.
- The article cites AdWeek’s Catherine Perloff reporting on the topic.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
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