What Happened
Look out, online publishers. There is a new ad-blocking tool on the market. Earlier today, inventor of Javascript and Ex-Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich debuted open-source browser Brave that blocks all tracking ads by default. Available now for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, Brave automatically strips out programmatic ads that use browsing history for targeting. And Eich says in the near future Brave will instead insert what it deems as acceptable ads where the blocked ads used to be, and split its ad revenue with the publishers.
What Brands Need To Do
While Brave is certainly not the first browser to come with ad-blocking features, its innovative approach of replacing intrusive ads with sanctioned ones points to an interesting direction for web browsers and web business models. It remains to be seen whether future browsers would start absorbing certain functions of ad exchange platforms and become the gatekeeper for consumer data and privacy. But one thing is clear with the introduction of Brave – consumers are getting smarter with their personal data and seeking new ways to avoid being bombarded by ads. Therefore, brands need to start providing real value with their brand messages in order to earn consumer attention or risk being blocked.
Source: Re/code
