As digital ecosystems expand and data becomes central to marketing performance, expectations around privacy, transparency, and responsible data use are reshaping the advertising landscape across the Middle East. This collaborative research between the Advertising Business Group and Ipsos explores how both consumers and industry leaders are responding to evolving data governance realities.
The findings highlight a region balancing the benefits of personalised engagement with growing concerns around control, security, and ethical data practices.
Key privacy and data governance shifts are emerging:
- Consumers are becoming more selective about the types of personal data they are willing to share.
- Expectations for brand transparency and trust are continuing to rise.
- Consumer understanding of data privacy varies across regional markets.
- Marketers are increasingly relying on first-party data as third-party tracking declines.
- Contextual targeting and privacy-safe measurement approaches are gaining importance.
- Stronger governance frameworks and consumer education are becoming necessary.
These insights help marketers, agencies, publishers, and technology leaders build resilient privacy-first growth strategies in an increasingly regulated digital environment.
