Consumer privacy is no longer just a matter of compliance; it is a brand-defining value. Recent high-profile data breaches—affecting both major corporations and government agencies—have made clear how vulnerable personal information remains, even in the hands of large and leading organizations.
At the same time, marketing teams face intensifying scrutiny over how they collect and use consumer data, with pressure coming from both regulators and the marketplace. Google is phasing out third-party cookies, while a patchwork of state privacy laws is taking shape, forcing companies to rethink how they gather, manage and communicate about customer data. For CMOs, the challenge is urgent: Trust must now be earned through transparent, privacy-first practices that show respect for customer preferences.
Members of the Senior Executive CMO Think Tank—experts in brand storytelling, digital advertising, AI and more—agree that privacy is now inseparable from brand trust. Below, they explain why this moment is critical and the steps CMOs should take to embed privacy as a core brand value.
“The surveillance era is over. Permission and transparency win.”
Trust Is Today’s Growth Engine
Heather Stickler, Chief Marketing Officer at Tidal Basin Group, argues that CMOs must move from simply completing compliance checklists to embedding privacy directly into their growth strategies.
“Privacy has to be a brand value, not a checkbox,” Stickler says. “With AI-driven data use, patchwork state laws and disappearing third-party signals, trust is now the growth engine. The surveillance era is over. Permission and transparency win.”
Stickler advises CMOs to make privacy by design a core, measurable KPI, recommending strategies that include
- A shift to first- and zero-party data collection with a clear value exchange and robust consent mechanisms
- Adoption of data minimization practices, including short retention periods, deletion SLAs and an auditable data map
- AI governance protocols, including tracking data provenance, PII and bias testing, red teaming, and human oversight
- Privacy-forward experiences, including no-track modes, contextual targeting and messaging in clear, straightforward language
Stickler also stresses that consumer privacy isn’t a “set it and forget it” initiative.
“Establish a cross-functional privacy council that includes legal, IT and InfoSec experts, and publish an annual transparency report.”
Privacy Is Part of an Exceptional Customer Experience
Ron McMurtrie, CMO at Honeywell, says the issue of data privacy goes straight to the heart of a CMO’s role.
“CMOs must focus on delivering exceptional experiences and fostering long-term loyalty,” he says. “Customer privacy is an imperative; it’s not merely about compliance.”
In McMurtrie’s view, embracing the technology that enables marketing teams to build stronger connections with consumers must be accompanied by committing to respect their privacy. “As CMOs, we must honor our customers and relationships versus being regulated to do so,” he says.
McMurtrie adds that showing that respect isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also essential, because today’s consumers are increasingly savvy.
“Just as personalization is a requirement in modern marketing, so is privacy,” he says. “Both come from our buyers being more aware of how their interactions and information are managed.”
Transparency Builds Loyalty in a Data-Driven World
Boris Dzhingarov, CEO of ESBO Ltd., highlights the direct connection between privacy and brand loyalty.
“Privacy must be elevated to a core brand value,” he says. “Consumers now equate trust with loyalty, and any breach erodes both. This moment is critical as AI and data-driven targeting expand.”
Indeed, when it comes to the collection and use of data, organizations are facing an already skeptical audience. A KPMG study highlights U.S. consumer sentiment on responsible data use, with 86% of respondents citing data privacy as a growing concern, and 40% saying they don’t trust companies to use their data ethically. Dzhingarov stresses that marketing leaders must demonstrate that they take consumers’ concerns seriously.
“CMOs should adopt transparency by design, minimize data collection and make consent an active part of the customer experience to win lasting trust,” he advises.
“The opposite of trust is not mistrust. It’s disgust.”
Trust Requires Connection, Care and Consistency
Daryl Travis, Founder and Chairman of Brandtrust, draws on decades of experience in social and behavioral science to explain why privacy is central to brand trust.
“The social science behind trust indicates the components of trusted brand relationships are connection, care and consistency,” Travis says. “‘Connection’ means a brand must be relevant to customers. ‘Care’ means a brand needs to demonstrate that it has customers’ best interests at heart. ‘Consistency’ means a brand must behave predictably in all interactions with customers.
“If any of these elements are missing or betrayed—particularly privacy—trust erodes and is very difficult to restore,” he concludes.
He underscores that consumers can detect when brands are inconsistent or disingenuous, even if the breach is subtle. And breaking faith with customers is costly: An Edelman survey found that 67% of customers say they’ll stop using a product if they don’t trust the company behind it.
“The opposite of trust is not mistrust,” Travis cautions. “It’s disgust.”
The Privacy Playbook for CMOs
- Establish privacy by design as a core KPI. Build metrics around first-party data use, consent, governance and transparency reports.
- Make privacy part of an outstanding customer experience. Position privacy as an act of respect and loyalty rather than a compliance hurdle.
- Embed transparency by design. Minimize data collection, simplify consent and communicate policies clearly.
- Build trust through connection, care and consistency. Demonstrate that your brand puts customer interests first and never betrays promises—especially when it comes to privacy.
Respect for Privacy Must Be a Nonnegotiable Brand Standard
The message from senior marketing leaders is unequivocal: Privacy is no longer a nice-to-have feature or a compliance afterthought—it is the foundation of modern brand trust. As consumers grow more protective of their data and regulators impose new requirements, CMOs who treat privacy as central to an outstanding customer experience will strengthen loyalty and create long-term competitive advantage.
For those who fail to act, the risks are steep: regulatory penalties, reputational damage and, most critically, the erosion of consumer trust—trust that is nearly impossible to win back once lost. The path forward is clear: Privacy must be embedded into every business’s marketing strategy, measured as rigorously as revenue growth, and communicated as a core value of the brand itself.
