Almost half of Middle Eastern marketers (48 per cent) are concerned about the use personal data and consumer consent, according to new data released in the fifth edition of the Braze Customer Engagement Review (CER).
The report combines data from the Braze platform with the results of a global survey developed in partnership with Wakefield Research, which surveyed 2,300 senior marketing executives across 18 countries.
The research findings indicate that data privacy concerns have impacted marketers’ plans for more advanced personalisation efforts, with key worries including customer consent (48 per cent), internal team concerns (37.8 per cent), and regulatory and compliance issues (33 per cent).
“As AI adoption grows among marketers across the GCC region, many find themselves at a crossroads. Consumers are expecting highly personalised experiences, but what we’re hearing is marketers are being cautious about using personal data without explicit consent,” said Sharif Kotb, GCC Area VP, Braze.
“The key to navigating this challenge is striking the right balance between personalisation and transparency. Customers want relevant, engaging experiences but also demand control over their data. First-party data strategies is the key here, and leveraging AI in a way that clearly demonstrates value, brands can build trust and lasting connections. Marketers must take the lead in ensuring transparency. Being upfront about data collection, usage, and the tangible benefits it brings to the customer.”
Navigating data ethics and consumer trust
This research shows that industry leaders are unable to decipher what is and isn’t ethical use of customer data.
Google’s introduction of technology such as fingerprinting and IP address collection, for example, are methods that enable brands to effectively target consumers. However, it’s argued to be a blow to privacy with it being harder for users to control what data is collected about them.
With the rush to adopt AI tools within marketing teams, a quarter (45 per cent) are using AI-informed data collection tools to identify patterns and combinations in data sets to help with personalisation.
Marketers play a crucial role in fostering consumer trust through transparency of how data is being collected and used, and the consumer benefits.
Building emotional connections
Customer retention is yet again the priority for marketers this year, with almost all (95 per cent) allocating between 26–75 per cent of marketing budgets towards this effort, a similar figure to 2024.
However, marketers also admit they are finding it challenging to connect with consumers to achieve this goal with 97 per cent struggling to craft emotionally resonant messaging to forge those connections.
To address this, the top tactics being deployed include using humour, pop culture and social causes to connect emotionally (41 per cent), AI-driven tone adjustments for each recipient (41 per cent), and personalised messaging based on customer and channel preferences (30 per cent).
This is where the collection of first-party data and consumer consent to its use can help brands maximise the information they collect to create more intentional customer engagement.
Tactics for emotional resonance across industries also vary. Media and entertainment brands leverage community-focused initiatives to encourage a sense of belonging (40 per cent) through tactics such as regionally most watched programmes, and watch-party mode.
Health and Wellness and Finserv apps capitalise on time-sensitive features such as using countdown timers and send-time optimisation (41 per cent) to connect with their customers.
