I had the privilege of speaking last week at ID5 On The Road: NYC, a gathering of industry leaders focused on the future of identity, privacy, and performance in advertising. The conversations were candid and thought-provoking, reflecting a shared understanding: the industry is being reshaped, and we all have a role to play in building what comes next.

Here are the three most important themes I walked away with:

1. Privacy Is the Baseline, Not a Bonus

The era of loosely regulated adtech is behind us. Today, privacy is not a competitive differentiator—it’s table stakes. And yet, many in the industry are still treating it like a box to check rather than a design principle.

In her remarks, Hillary Slattery, Director of Programmatic at the IAB Tech Lab, said it best: we need to “avoid the ick.” That means building privacy-safe solutions that put consumer rights and transparency at the center. It’s no longer optional—regulation is enforcing it, and user trust demands it.

Another phrase that stuck with me: “Trust but verify.” While there are more tools than ever to manage consent and uphold consumer data preferences, the burden doesn’t stop at selecting a vendor. It’s on each of us to implement, test, and continuously verify that privacy systems are functioning as promised.

Publishers in particular hold a critical responsibility here. They are the custodians of user relationships and are uniquely positioned to safeguard consumer choice at the point of engagement.

2. Identity Is the New Infrastructure Layer

The fragmentation caused by privacy regulations and deprecation of legacy signals has only reinforced the importance of robust identity solutions. Identity is no longer just a tactical lever—it’s become foundational to campaign execution, measurement, and accountability.

There’s a clear acceleration in the adoption of identity graphs, but the message from the stage was clear: scrutinize what’s under the hood. If a solution suddenly returns 35 identifiers, something may be misaligned. Too much noise in identity can dilute performance and create more confusion than clarity.

That’s why efforts like the IAB Tech Lab’s provenance documentation are so promising—they’re bringing standardization, transparency, and consistency to how identity solutions are sourced, matched, and validated. In a landscape built on trust, this level of accountability is non-negotiable.

3. The Buyside Is Rewriting the Playbook

One of the most compelling shifts I observed at the event is the emergence of a BYOA: Bring Your Own Audience approach to targeting & campaign execution. This was evident particularly agencies—who are no longer content to rent identity and targeting infrastructure from external technology partners.

Instead, a “build vs. buy” mindset is taking hold. Agencies are investing in in-house identity graphs enriched with their own first-party data and user attributes. Rather than relying on a patchwork of vendor solutions, they’re designing bespoke systems that offer tighter control, improved efficiency, and better integration with their measurement frameworks.

This Bring Your Own Audience (BYOA) approach is transforming the role of publishers as well. To remain competitive, media owners must be able to meet buyers where they are—whether that means improved identity match rates, support for clean room environments, or delivering higher-performing inventory in both programmatic and direct channels.

Measurement also took center stage. It’s not just about reaching the right person; it’s about proving that the interaction led to a meaningful outcome. Buyers are increasingly demanding that media partners deliver both addressability and attributable performance.

Final Thought

Speaking at ID5 On The Road: NYC was a welcome opportunity to connect with peers navigating the same complex terrain. While the challenges in front of us are significant, the momentum toward a more trustworthy, transparent, and consumer-centric adtech ecosystem is undeniable.

What’s clear is that the future will be shaped by those who lead with integrity, adapt with intention, and put the consumer first—every step of the way.