Something has shifted amidst the digital landscape in 2026.
With the Data Use and Access Act 2025 now fully embedded into UK law, non-consensual tracking has been squeezed; in the US, the situation varies state by state, with California leading the way through its CCPA tracking legislation, mimicking GDPR.
Users now have total control over their digital footprint, meaning the old playbooks for tracking and targeting are obsolete.
But what does this mean for brands? No longer should the concern be focused on chasing anonymous clicks; the future belongs to those who build verified communities.
Whilst Google announced last year that its planned phasing out of third-party cookies had been halted in favour of a user-choice approach, performance marketing has still faced a massive gap. Without the ability to follow a user across the web, brands are seeing a sharp decline in the accuracy of traditional targeting.
A one off discount might confirm a student is active today, but it offers zero insight into their journey tomorrow. In 2026, loyalty is about identity and alignment. McKinsey reports that 65% of Gen Z are willing to splurge and share data in categories that align with their identity and values. PwC’s 2025 data revealed Gen Z spending is growing twice as fast as other generations, but they are "value-conscious," prioritising intentionality and emotional value over simple price drops.
From verification to data enrichment
At UNiDAYS, we have pioneered the move from simple verification to zero party data enrichment. Unlike third party data (which is inferred) or first party data (which is observed), zero party data is information that customers intentionally share with you.
By moving beyond single use verification, brands can tap into a verified community to gather consensual insights like:
In fact, recent 2025 research from Typeface showed that marketers using original, proprietary data (like zero party insights from a verified community) reported 64% higher conversion rates compared to those relying on aggregated third party signals from anonymous visitors. By integrating verification into a wider community ecosystem, you aren't just checking an ID, you are building a map of your customer’s life.
Personalisation without being creepy
A 2026 consumer report from YouGov found that while 60% of UK adults worry about how much data is held about them, nearly 65% still want brands to use technology like AI to make their shopping experiences better.
The difference is trust.
When a brand uses zero party data gathered through a trusted partner like UNiDAYS, the ‘creep factor’ of being followed by ads disappears. Instead, the consumer receives relevant, timely offers because they told the brand exactly what they wanted. This is the difference between:
Single Use Verification: A student verifies, gets a discount, and is never seen again.
Zero Party Insight: A member verifies and shares their graduation date, allowing you to send a "First Office Wardrobe" campaign exactly when they need it
Owning the relationship is the only way to future proof your brand. As customer acquisition costs climb in oversaturated social spaces, a verified community provides a "trust layer" that cannot be disrupted by an algorithm update.
UNiDAYS sits at the heart of this revolution. We help brands move beyond the point of sale and into the lives of students, converting every verification into a lifetime of loyalty.
Are you ready to own your insights? Talk to our team today and let’s build your student verification programme >>>
Sources
Digiday: Google Chrome will continue to use third-party cookies (2025)
McKinsey: How today’s consumers are spending their time and money (2025)
PwC: The Gen Z paradox: Spending less, expecting more (2025)
Typeface: Content marketing statistics to watch (2026)
YouGov: Data privacy day 2026 (2026)