In the lead up to the GDPR compliance deadline on 25th May, many businesses are repermissioning their databases through email marketing campaigns. In this blog, we'll share 10 of our favourite examples that we've seen so far...

If the first 10 examples in this blog aren't enough, we also created a downloadable free email guide to repermissioning for email marketing, full of best practice tips and tactics, plus over 50 GDPR email examples from leading brands, to inspire your campaigns.

What are repermissioning emails?

The role of repermissioning emails is to give existing subscribers the opportunity to opt in to marketing communications beyond the GDPR compliance deadline. A lack of positive opt-in after receiving these repermissioning emails means that they'll no longer receive marketing emails from this brand.

Many marketers and businesses fear that this repermissioning process will see them lose a large proportion of their subscribers, resulting in a big drop in conversions and sales.

Some companies will just send repermissioning emails to contacts for whom they cannot clearly define where or how they gained consent for sending them marketing messages, whilst other brands are taking a belt and braces approach and are reaching out to their entire database (including customers) to gain clear consent for marketing emails.

Note: Always consent a lawyer when deciding who to repermission, because ultimately GDPR is a legal challenge for businesses of all kinds. Just because it's a marketing channel that's involved in this process of data regulation, doesn’t mean it's just a marketing decision. This is a task that's executed by marketers, but doesn’t necessarily mean that marketers have to decide exactly how it’s done.

Repermissioning email examples

So, here's 10 of the best repermissioning email campaigns. And if 10 is not enough, you can check out 50 inspiring GDPR repermissioning email campaigns from top brands in our dedicated guide!

1. Co-op

This email from Co-op is short, sweet and to the point. The email directly asks subscribers if they want to continue to receiving the brand's emails, whilst reminding them of the benefits of they'll get as a Co-op Member. 

The call to action to confirm consent is compelling, whilst the ways to unsubscribe or update preferences at a later date, even if subscribers do choose to continue receiving emails, are also made clear and simple.

2. Mulberry

This GDPR email from Mulberry is more cut and dry. The image is on brand and the "Want to keep hearing from us?" tagline has been given lots of space to stand out.

The minimal text in the email states the reason for the email being sent out, whilst the phrase "valued Mulberry subscriber" adds a sentiment of togetherness and relationship, also evoked in the image. The call to action is no-nonsense.

3. The Galleria

There are some slightly different tactics being used in this GDPR repermissioning email from The Galleria shopping centre. The email presents an ultimatum for subscribers, with "I'm in" and "I'm out" CTA buttons, to either consent to marketing emails or unsubscribe. 

The ultimatum has added urgency, thanks to a deadline for responding presented to subscribers in bold text. Again, the reasons for sending the email are made very clear, and there are links to an updated privacy policy.

4. Dune

The next two GDPR emails are very bold approaches. This GDPR repermissioning example from Dune doesn't pose a question, but goes for a more positive and encouraging tone, with the "Let's stay together" header. It's less an ultimatum and more of a strong nudge to confirm consent.

5. Madewell

This repermissioning email from Madewell is not one that we'd necessarily recommend,  as it doesn't contain much in the way of context to GDPR, but we've included it here to demonstrate the vastly different approaches to GDPR emails from brands. 

Madewell's email is bold in the extreme and we don't need to tell you that the overriding message is "YES" to consent. This is a risky tactic, but one that may get them results.

6. The Kennel Club

This GDPR email from The Kennel Club has a good balance of text, visuals and persuasion tactics. This repermissioning email packs in evocative imagery, clear and informative text and some handy graphics to demonstrate the different types of content that subscribers can continue to receive if they consent to receiving emails going forward.

There are some good messages around GDPR and data privacy, whilst the subscriber is told that by opting in they can update their preferences around what type of emails they'd like to receive from The Kennel Club.

7. Cottage Lodge Hotel

The GDPR email example from Cottage Lodge Hotel focuses more on the the change in privacy policy rather than a clear YES or NO question. Although the text gives details about the need for subscribers to confirm that they'd like to continue receiving emails, the nudge is towards updating subscription settings.

Although this is perhaps a softer approach than some of the examples above, this tactic enforces the idea of the greater control for users that GDPR brings. This means that subscribers are encouraged to update their preferences, rather than simply confirm opt-in or unsubscribe.

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8. Mercedes Benz

Like with the repermissioning email example from Cottage Lodge Hotel, Mercedes Benz has taken the approach of encouraging subscribers and customers to update their preferences rather than purely confirm their consent to marketing messages. 

Not only does this approach give control to subscribers around what types of marketing emails they'd like to receive, but it helps Mercedes to clean up and segment their database more efficiently and in accordance with GDPR consent rules.

The email makes clear that if subscribers don't take action before the May 25th deadline, they will no longer receive messages from Mercedes.

9. NSPCC

This is a great repermissioning email from NSPCC, which starts off by getting straight to the heart of GDPR and address some of the fears from users around data protection, rather than just related to marketing consent. The header "Your information is safe with us" is a powerful and reassuring one, especially coming from a charity.

The email copy then mentions the reason for this email being sent to subscribers, the importance of staying informed about the work the charity does and has a clear call to action to confirm ongoing opt-in.

There is also a video (not shown in this screenshot) which explains to the subscriber how the organisation ensures that their information is kept safe. What more encouragement and reassurance could you need?

10. White Rose

The last GDPR email in our list is slightly different, in that the email is not exclusively a repermissioning email. The example from White Rose shopping centre is an email campaign, which carries the repermissioning message and calls to action within the email template.

This is a seasonal email campaign about Mother's Day, containing offers, discounts and gift ideas, but at the top of the email is a carbon copy of the repermissioning message, ultimatum and CTA buttons seen in the email example from The Galleria, shown earlier.

By carrying this message and the choice to opt-in or opt-out within multiple email campaigns, the marketers hope to get as many eyes on the message as possible.  

Define who requires repermissioning

Before sending out repermissioning emails, you need to delve into your data and segment you subscriber list, to establish who requires repermissioning and who doesn't.

Marketing automation provider Ometria have created a handy table, which demonstrates a good approach to segmenting your existing database and defining who needs GDPR repermissioning:

You can create your own system for defining the different segments and their level/route of consent and then decide (in accordance with GDPR regulations and legal advice) which segments to send repermissioning emails to. This a good time to cleanse your database of anyone contacts who should no longer be in there!

Once you've defined your segments and established who you're going to send emails to, it's a good idea to take a phased approach to repermissioning campaigns, starting with the most active segments of your subscriber list. Take a look at this example criteria list for retailers from Ometria:

• Opens emails and regularly buys
• Opens emails and infrequently buys
• Opens emails and clicks through to browse items
• Opens emails – no activity
• Receives email – no activity
• No activity after 6 months
• No activity after 12 months
• No activity after 18 months 

If you want a handy checklist for ticking of your GDPR tasks and requirements? Take a look at our GDPR Checklist for Marketers: 10 Critical Areas to Consider or see 50 examples of repermissioning emails for inspiration.

Wrapping up

The examples in this blog show a wide range of approaches to email repermissioning, from ultimatums to softer invitations to update subscriber preferences. Whatever tactics you choose to use, the key is to send repermissioning emails to all subscribers for whom you require consent and ensure that only those who then confirm opt-in receive marketing emails beyond the GDPR compliance deadline.

If you want all the key GDPR resources for marketers, all in one place, including guides from the The ICO and The DMA, we've complied them all here >> 5 Essential GDPR Resources for Marketers

Note: This GDPR blog serves to demonstrate the different ways to approach GDPR email repermissioning, but it is not legal advice. Make sure you gain legal advice when making decisions on repermissioning messages and other GDPR compliance tasks.