In 2024, advertising hit a turning point. Audiences became louder in demanding control over their data, regulators tightened their grip and brands faced a critical choice: adapt or lose trust. The message was clear—respect for privacy isn’t just a legal necessity; it’s a competitive edge.
Brands that thrived in 2024 understood one thing: privacy is personal. Audiences expect transparency, opting in when it feels fair and opting out when it doesn’t. They embraced platforms that asked for less and gave them more—like tailored recommendations without intrusive data grabs.
People’s stance on privacy wasn’t just talk—73% of audiences globally avoided brands they deemed invasive and 82% said they valued transparency over personalisation. Regulators weren’t far behind, with landmark fines for mishandling data hitting record highs. Advertising, as we knew it, faced a reckoning.
Brands that openly communicated how they used data saw customer loyalty rise, while opaque companies faced mass uninstalls. Meanwhile, missteps were punished swiftly. Ads that felt invasive or algorithms that misused personal information didn’t just spark criticism—they lost customers.
The shift isn’t over. For 2025, here’s what brands need to do:
Put Transparency First: Explain why you’re collecting data and how it benefits the user. No jargon, no fine print—just clarity.
Earn, Don’t Take: Shift from data harvesting to value exchange. Offer tools, insights or discounts in return for information, making it a win-win.
Build For Privacy By Design: Create systems that need less personal data. Contextual advertising—using the content a person is viewing, not their history—should take center stage.
Champion Audience Choice: Make opting out easy and painless. Brands that offer choices build loyalty.
Go First-Party Or Go Home: Relying on borrowed data is a sinking ship. Brands need to invest in direct connections: email sign-ups, loyalty programs and value-driven interactions that consumers willingly join.
Privacy isn’t just a legal issue—it’s emotional. People want to feel respected, and they’ll reward brands that treat them as partners, not data points. Brands that embrace it will create smarter, more respectful advertising and win the trust and loyalty of a privacy-conscious world.
2025 is a chance to turn a dilemma into a defining moment for advertising. The question isn’t whether things will change—it’s how bold brands are willing to be in leading that change.
(The author is the Founder & Executive Director of Kakkoii Entertainment.)
