How Marketers Are Navigating Data Protection and Privacy: Insights from Hugh Dixon

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Today, data protection and privacy are top priorities for marketers working within an increasingly regulated digital environment. The era of unchecked behavioral tracking and hyper-personalized ads is over. In a post-GDPR world, marketers risk more than campaign failure—they face reputational and legal consequences. As a result, building trust has become as important as driving conversions.

Hugh Dixon, Marketing Manager at PSS International Removals, a UK-based company specializing in overseas relocations, has seen this shift up close. He’s restructured how his team handles data, striking a balance between business growth and regulatory compliance.

We spoke with Hugh about how marketing strategies are evolving, what happens when tracking is limited, and why trust—not just technology—is emerging as a true competitive advantage.

“It was a wake-up call”: Rethinking the marketing toolbox

Q: When GDPR and other privacy laws began tightening, what was your initial reaction? Did it feel like losing your best tools?

Dixon: I’d say it was a bit of a wake-up call. You get used to tools like retargeting, behavior-based email segmentation, and automated flows—and then suddenly, you’re told, “You can’t do that unless you’ve got clear consent.”

It forced us to slow down and rethink our approach. You can’t just blast people with personalized offers anymore. At first it was frustrating, but long-term, it’s made us more thoughtful—and probably better marketers overall.

Personalization vs. Privacy: A balancing act

Q: Everyone treats personalization as the holy grail of marketing. What changed when you had to comply with stricter privacy laws?

Dixon: We had a campaign that used to send targeted emails based on people’s previous moves or inquiries. We’d use tracking data to customize offers. But under GDPR, profiling like that without consent wasn’t compliant anymore.

So, we switched to a more opt-in-based strategy. The targeting wasn’t as immediate or sharp, but it was respectful. We took longer to get results, but we were earning people’s trust—not violating it.

From quick campaigns to structured compliance

Q: How did your day-to-day operations change? Did privacy suddenly become a permanent agenda item?

Dixon: Absolutely. Things are much more structured now. We follow a compliance workflow using GDPR checklists and privacy impact assessments.

Before any campaign—email, paid ads, you name it—we now run it through legal for review. It’s a collaborative process. This wasn’t the norm a few years ago, but today it’s essential and baked into our regular routine.

Advice for new marketing leaders: Make privacy part of your foundation

Q: Imagine a new CMO joins a fast-moving company. They’re hungry for results. What’s your one piece of advice on privacy?

Dixon: Be proactive. Design with privacy in mind from the beginning. Don’t treat compliance as a checkbox after the campaign’s built. Regulations will keep evolving, so it’s smarter—and safer—to stay ahead of them.

Start by gaining clear consent, respect your users' choices, and focus on earning trust. That trust will fuel long-term brand loyalty, and no amount of clever tech can replace that.