Consumers Don’t Mind You Collecting Data. They Just Mind How You Do It.

Data has a PR problem. For years, data collection and surveillance have been seen as two sides of the same coin. Consumers fear cookies tracking clicks, ads following them across the internet and brands knowing too much about their personal lives. The result? Opting out of cookies and fear anytime that brands attempt to collect data.

But recent cultural phenomena indicates a potential shift in this perception. Take Spotify Wrapped— people don’t just tolerate their data being collected. They celebrate it. They post it on social media, compare it amongst friends and try to analyse what it reflects about them. Or even the more recent Strava fridge trend where people proudly showcase their runs / physical activities on social media.

The foundation behind this shift; Agency and meaning. Consumers don’t feel like data is being taken from them. They feel like they’re choosing to share something that reflects their identity.

So, what can brands learn from this?

Shift from extraction to expression
Stop thinking about how to collect data in the background. Instead, design experiences where consumers want to share data because it feels authentic, fun, or reflective of who they are.
Turn insights into identity
Spotify doesn’t just say “you listened to 23,000 minutes of music.” It says, ‘You’re a fan of XXX.’ Data becomes a story— a part of their identity that people are proud to share.
Build trust through transparency
When consumers see exactly what data is being used and how it benefits them (entertainment, building community, recognition, etc.) their perception shifts from invasion to collaboration.

In a world where third-party cookies are disappearing, brands face two choices.

Keep scraping data in ways that consumers resist
Reshape the narrative of data-sharing into something consumers value—a mirror of their identity, a badge of belonging, a story worth telling.

The future of CRM isn’t just about personalisation. It’s about participation. Wrapped, Strava posts and every self-expressive data trend show us that when data becomes a source of joy and pride, people don’t fear sharing it—they fight to show it off.

Data has a PR problem. For years, data collection and surveillance have been seen as two sides of the same coin. Consumers fear cookies tracking clicks, ads following them across the internet and brands knowing too much about their personal lives. The result? Opting out of cookies and fear anytime that brands attempt to collect data.

But recent cultural phenomena indicates a potential shift in this perception. Take Spotify Wrapped— people don’t just tolerate their data being collected. They celebrate it. They post it on social media, compare it amongst friends and try to analyse what it reflects about them. Or even the more recent Strava fridge trend where people proudly showcase their runs / physical activities on social media.

The foundation behind this shift; Agency and meaning. Consumers don’t feel like data is being taken from them. They feel like they’re choosing to share something that reflects their identity.

So, what can brands learn from this?

Shift from extraction to expression
Stop thinking about how to collect data in the background. Instead, design experiences where consumers want to share data because it feels authentic, fun, or reflective of who they are.
Turn insights into identity
Spotify doesn’t just say “you listened to 23,000 minutes of music.” It says, ‘You’re a fan of XXX.’ Data becomes a story— a part of their identity that people are proud to share.
Build trust through transparency
When consumers see exactly what data is being used and how it benefits them (entertainment, building community, recognition, etc.) their perception shifts from invasion to collaboration.

In a world where third-party cookies are disappearing, brands face two choices.

Keep scraping data in ways that consumers resist
Reshape the narrative of data-sharing into something consumers value—a mirror of their identity, a badge of belonging, a story worth telling.

The future of CRM isn’t just about personalisation. It’s about participation. Wrapped, Strava posts and every self-expressive data trend show us that when data becomes a source of joy and pride, people don’t fear sharing it—they fight to show it off.

Data has a PR problem. For years, data collection and surveillance have been seen as two sides of the same coin. Consumers fear cookies tracking clicks, ads following them across the internet and brands knowing too much about their personal lives. The result? Opting out of cookies and fear anytime that brands attempt to collect data.

But recent cultural phenomena indicates a potential shift in this perception. Take Spotify Wrapped— people don’t just tolerate their data being collected. They celebrate it. They post it on social media, compare it amongst friends and try to analyse what it reflects about them. Or even the more recent Strava fridge trend where people proudly showcase their runs / physical activities on social media.

The foundation behind this shift; Agency and meaning. Consumers don’t feel like data is being taken from them. They feel like they’re choosing to share something that reflects their identity.

So, what can brands learn from this?

Shift from extraction to expression
Stop thinking about how to collect data in the background. Instead, design experiences where consumers want to share data because it feels authentic, fun, or reflective of who they are.
Turn insights into identity
Spotify doesn’t just say “you listened to 23,000 minutes of music.” It says, ‘You’re a fan of XXX.’ Data becomes a story— a part of their identity that people are proud to share.
Build trust through transparency
When consumers see exactly what data is being used and how it benefits them (entertainment, building community, recognition, etc.) their perception shifts from invasion to collaboration.

In a world where third-party cookies are disappearing, brands face two choices.

Keep scraping data in ways that consumers resist
Reshape the narrative of data-sharing into something consumers value—a mirror of their identity, a badge of belonging, a story worth telling.

The future of CRM isn’t just about personalisation. It’s about participation. Wrapped, Strava posts and every self-expressive data trend show us that when data becomes a source of joy and pride, people don’t fear sharing it—they fight to show it off.