GDPR: An Opportunity For Loyalty?

With GDPR just over a month away, most companies have their data security mapped out.

However, have you thought about one other area of change; one that’s affecting most marketers? Email consent.

Under the new regulation, consent from consumers has to be “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous” in order to be compliant.

How To Collect Email Consent In A Creative Way

As part of this, a customer must actively confirm their consent (not including pre-checked boxes), every communication must include an option to unsubscribe and, crucially, GDPR does not only apply to signups that happen after May 25th, it applies to all existing EU subscribers in your database.

So, how do you recollect consent from your customers in a creative way that will leave your subscribers list intact?

The answer: by serving them personalised, exciting content and then popping the big question, at the point of maximum engagement.

Princess Cruises - A Personalised Video To Raise GDPR Awareness

Princess Cruises has led the way in this regard, working with VideoSmart to create a personalised video campaign, which included nostalgic messaging while simultaneously raising awareness about GDPR.

Each customer first saw footage relating to their previous travels, thereby reconnecting them to the Princess Cruises brand.

Secondly, the consumer was made aware of the GDPR laws that are coming into effect in May. Finally, three consent options were given to the consumer, allowing them to choose whether they opted in or out of future communications.

The Results?

96% of videos were viewed, with 90% being watched to the end.

What’s more, 43% of viewers took action after the video and comments from customers were overwhelmingly positive for both the brand, as well as for its strategy to inform about the email consent rule change.

And this unique approach to collecting email consent under GDPR was also noticed by marketers. A single share on LinkedIn generated 40,000 views and 500 likes in just two days.

So, what is the key takeaway? GDPR does not have to be a barrier. It can serve as a huge opportunity to build brand loyalty and generate engagement, while being compliant at the same time.