What every marketer should know about the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry

With the ACCC coming to the end of its six-year Digital Platforms Inquiry, it’s interesting to reflect on the implications for brands and marketers, who continue to navigate how best to participate in an increasingly opaque, algorithmic-led performance marketplace.

While the latest ACCC report focuses on curbing anti-competitive behaviour, such as manipulative design and the use of dark patterns, it raises a broader question: are advertisers equally responsible for feeding the beast in exchange for demonstrated scale and results?

With key performance juggernauts (think Google, Meta, Amazon – the usual suspects) moving rapidly towards AI-first products, advertisers are shifting focus towards signal-led strategies to ensure platforms have meaningful data to make automated decisions and find new high-value customers. For many of our clients, signals-based optimisation has quickly outpaced traditional methods, so we continue to work with clients on meaningful data capture and utilisation to drive growth.