ID5, the identity provider for digital advertising, has published its 2025 State of Digital Identity Report, spotlighting the diverse approaches industry players are taking to evolve their addressability strategies.

Based on insights from 250 global respondents, including advertisers, publishers, and technology vendors, the report demonstrates how agile adaptation is overcoming increasingly complex fragmentation.

Future of addressability

While alternative IDs are still the leading choice for engaging non-addressable traffic, used by 67 per cent of respondents, high adoption rates for private marketplaces (57 per cent), clean rooms (51 per cent), and publisher user IDs (50 per cent) indicate a shift toward integrating multiple approaches rather than relying on any single method. Identity graphs are also gaining traction, with 84 per cent of respondents already using or planning cross-device tests to cluster disparate identifiers.

In 2024, 75 per cent of respondents affirmed that their mission to migrate away from cookies would remain unchanged by Chrome’s deprecation cancellation. The 2025 findings show intentions have held firm:

• An overwhelming 91 per cent majority are either already using or planning to test alternative solutions

• A further 55 per cent are actively looking to increase their investment in exploring alternatives

• Just 21 per cent have decided to deprioritise or avoid them

“For years, cookies defined the way digital advertising operated. But today, identity is broader, more adaptive, and increasingly powered by AI. Cookies were only ever one piece of the advertising picture, and we’re really seeing that in today’s landscape. Buyers, sellers, and vendors alike want to harness solutions that best fit their goals and needs,” commented Mathieu Roche, CEO and Co-Founder of ID5.

The data suggests this determination to push ID development forward potentially stems from two key causes. As publishing participants report that fewer than 30% of their users are logged in or registered, there is a clear need for options beyond static identification methods that rely on a single signal to fuel refined and scaled targeting. Perhaps more compellingly, those who have tested alternative solutions are also experiencing notable success, with 90 per cent citing satisfactory results.

Tackling CTV performance pressures 

The report also showcased an enhanced focus on connected TV (CTV). Unsurprisingly, persistent pressure to validate performance has seen the greatest addressability challenges from 2024 retain their top spots: measurement (33 per cent) and cross-channel reconciliation (34 per cent). As the market and number of players involved in executing campaigns grow, this issue is now being compounded by concerns around how consent can be consistently managed, with 56 per cent of respondents feeling that CTV IDs don’t offer users enough transparency or control.

To address these issues and achieve a better balance between reach, clarity, and precision, respondents have employed an array of identity strategies for CTV with varying effectiveness. When asked to rank the performance of approaches from one to five, participants named publisher first-party data solutions, including audience deal IDs, as their frontrunner (40 per cent), likely due to the comprehensive visibility they offer into audiences and inventory.

Ongoing challenges in measuring CTV alongside other channels are fueling the rise of identity graphs, with 84 per cent of respondents running or planning cross-device tests to cluster disparate IDs.

ID Bridging Becomes Mainstream

ID bridging is making substantial headway: once controversial for linking cookie-based and cookieless environments, it’s now embraced by publishers and distributors seeking consistent addressability. Just over half (51 per cent) of the report’s publishing participants already work with one or more ID bridging partners, while 21 per cent are considering adoption.

Results suggest that much of this progress is due to a change in attitude that has come with improved understanding and codification, including the Internet Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) provenance guidelines. Outweighing the 10% of respondents who hold negative sentiment towards ID bridging, more than half (55 per cent) think its impact on the industry is positive. Survey responses vary on whether it should be used with explicit consent only (38 per cent), exclusively in accordance with industry guidelines (26 per cent), or by default (25 per cent), but general trends point to rising acceptance and use within the advertising ecosystem.

“As the availability of user signals continues to vary, it makes sense that most are using a blend of solutions so they can flexibly adjust to different scenarios,” adds Valbona Gjini, ID5’s SVP Marketing & Communications. “In the ever-changing ID space, those who focus on constant adaptation and remain willing to experiment with emerging opportunities stand the strongest chance of maintaining reach, revenue, and measurability.”

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Categories: Advertising, Articles, Connected TV, Research

Tags: advertising, CTV, ID5, IDs