“If I’m buying socks, why do you need to know what I had for lunch? It’s not relevant at all. So why collect it?” says David Diaz, community manager, Usercentrics. “The real challenge is shifting the mindset from the data buffet to just enough, relevant data.”
Speaking at The Drum Live, alongside Phil Szymala, senior director, head of insights and analytics, Europe at Visa, Diaz underlined the fact that, these days, privacy has become more than just a compliance issue for marketers: it’s a growth engine, as building trust is multiplying returns across brand, media and measurement.
Szymala agrees: “We know that someone who prefers or trusts Visa is 1.7x more valuable to us than somebody who doesn’t.”
And his experience is backed by new research proving 77% of brand performance has been boosted in the past year, thanks to trust-fueled and Privacy-Led Marketing practices.
Set to be published soon, the major new research report of 200 UK and US CMOs from The Drum and Usercentrics explores how brands are turning permission into profit.
But the report findings and panel discussion also exposed a critical tension. While 79% of CMOs say they’re confident in how they use consumer data to power AI-driven personalization, 59% of consumers disagree – a trust gap that marketers can’t afford to ignore.
It’s a challenge which can be overcome by being more customer-centric, advises Szymala: “Start with thinking, how are you planning to do a better job for the customer as a result of [Privacy-Led Marketing]? And then think about how that’s going to move your business forward.”
While the opportunity was clear, the panel did not shy away from the additional challenges. Many brands still treat privacy as a legal obligation rather than a lever for growth. Yet speakers stressed that transparency, accountability and respect could transform consumer trust into long-term loyalty.
“Privacy isn’t just about policies or GDPR,” says Diaz: “It’s about permission, relevance, and, above all, trust. The goal is to shift your mindset from a data grab to an exchange of information and value between customers and brands.”
And creating the right internal culture to accelerate this thinking is key, advises Szymala: “It’s about getting proof points. Can you improve business outcomes through the use of data? Then, once you have those stories, evangelize them.”
The wrap-up message was unambiguous: Privacy-Led Marketing is not just about protection but propulsion. Brands that build transparency and consent into their DNA will stay in control with their customers, and gain a massive competitive advantage.
Stay tuned for the video from the session – and also watch out for The Drum and Usercentrics’ report – The Ninth P: Privacy as a Growth Lever.
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Usercentrics
Usercentrics is a global leader in privacy technologies, helping brands build trust and drive sustainable growth by placing user privacy, consent, and preferences...