The Privacy Era Is Here

What marketers need to know about earning attention and owning relationships.

Author

Mac Foster
May 20, 2025

If there’s one shift modern marketers can’t ignore, it’s this:

Privacy isn’t optional anymore.

Consumers are more skeptical.
Regulators are more aggressive.
And platforms are giving you less access, not more.

Yet while most teams are scrambling to adapt, the smart ones are seeing this as an opportunity.

Why?

Because trust is the new currency.

At Foster & Co., we believe if you can build systems that protect trust, you’ll win the long game.

This is about rethinking how we earn attention, keep data clean, and own the relationship.

The Breakdown: Building a Privacy-First Marketing Strategy

Let’s break this down into how I advise clients navigating GDPR, CCPA, and beyond without sacrificing performance:

1. Stop renting attention. Own the relationship

Brands relying on third-party platforms for targeting are seeing massive drops in efficiency.

Instead:

  • Build email and SMS lists intentionally

  • Offer real value in exchange for opt-ins (not just 10% off)

  • Use quizzes, content hubs, and gated tools to earn insights directly

💡 The more you own, the less you're at the mercy of shifting algorithms.

2. Leverage first-party data creatively

This doesn’t mean hoarding customer info. It means using what you have with respect.

  • Loyalty programs that personalize offers based on behavior

  • In-app surveys that drive UX and enrich CRM data

  • Segmented messaging based on product use, not just demographics

3. Be radically transparent

Consumers don’t hate personalization.

They hate being tracked without context.

  • Explain why you’re asking for certain info

  • Show users what they’ll get in return

  • Let people opt into value and not just data capture

Last week, I wrote Why Authentic Social Trumps Big Budgets. This dives more into the importance of trust-building for brands in 2025.

If you’re serious about scaling responsibly, OneTrust is one of the best tools I’ve seen for managing:

  • Consent tracking

  • Privacy policy deployment

  • Compliance dashboards across regions

Whether you’re in ecommerce or SaaS, managing risk while staying user-friendly is non-negotiable.

CCPA’s Latest Expansion

“The latest updates give consumers more power to opt out of profiling and AI-driven decisions.”

Translation?

Your retargeting and lookalike strategies are going to hit walls.

Now’s the time to build your owned data muscle before it’s too late.

Wrap Up

Privacy is no longer just a policy line item.

It’s a strategy lever.

It’s how you build relationships that last beyond the algorithm.
It’s how you create marketing that scales and respects the customer.

Because the best brand need to be trustworthy.

That’s what drives sustainable growth.

See you next week,
- Mac

When you’re ready, here’s how I can help you:

  1. Schedule a session with me. Discover how Foster & Co. can drive your company towards peak growth.

  2. Foster & Co. services. I work with marketing teams inside agencies, growth-stage startups and public companies.

  3. Share CMO 3.0 with your team or network – Know someone who’d benefit from smarter marketing insights? Send them this link and help them level up.