Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Esben Studio ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores and protects your personal information. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.Esben Studio is a creative and product studio based in Cheshire, England. Our services include web design and development, branding and identity, graphic design, social media management, photography and video production, podcast management, content creation, product strategy, customer research, user testing, AI integration and growth strategy. By using our website at esbenstudio,com or engaging with our services, you agree to the terms of this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

‍Information you provide directly: Your full name, email address, phone number and business name when you contact us via our website contact form, email or phone. Project details, briefs and requirements shared during client onboarding - Feedback, testimonials or responses to surveys you choose to participate in. Any information shared during discovery calls, workshops or consultancy sessions.

‍Information collected automatically when you visit our website:  IP address and approximate location. Browser type, device type and operating system. Pages visited, time spent on pages and how you navigated to our website. Referral source (e.g. Google, social media, direct). Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie section below)

‍Information collected as part of delivering services: Social media account access credentials and analytics data (for social media management clients) Website analytics and performance data (for web design and strategy clients) Customer research data, user testing recordings and research findings (anonymised where possible)— Photography and video assets featuring individuals (with separate consent obtained) Podcast content and audio recordings

How We Use Your Data

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

‍To respond to enquiries and communicate with you
‍When you contact us, we use your details to respond to your message and discuss your requirements. This is based on our legitimate interest in responding to business enquiries.

‍To deliver our services
‍When you become a client, we use your information to manage your project, deliver agreed work, and maintain our professional relationship. This is based on the performance of a contract.

‍To improve our website and services
‍We analyse website usage data to understand how visitors use our site and improve the user experience. This is based on our legitimate interest in running an effective business.

‍To send marketing communications
‍With your explicit consent, we may send you updates about our services, studio news or relevant industry insights. You can withdraw consent at any time by unsubscribing or contacting us directly.

‍To fulfil legal obligations
‍We may use your data to comply with legal requirements, including financial record keeping, tax obligations and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

‍For case studies and portfolio use
‍With your prior written consent, we may feature your project in our portfolio, on our website, or in marketing materials. We will always seek your approval before doing so.

Legal Basis For Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

‍Contract: Processing necessary to deliver services you have engaged us for.
‍Legitimate interests: Running our business, responding to enquiries, improving our services and preventing fraud.
‍Consent: Marketing communications, use of non-essential cookies, and featuring your work in our portfolio.
‍Legal obligation: Compliance with financial, tax and regulatory requirements.

Photography, Video and Content Services

If you engage us for photography, video production, or any content creation involving individuals, we will:

- Obtain separate written consent from any individuals featured in content we produce
- Clearly explain how content will be used before production begins
- Store raw files, footage and recordings securely and only for as long as necessary
- Delete or return assets at your request once the project is complete, unless we have agreed to retain them for ongoing use

Social Media Services

If we manage your social media accounts, we will:

- Access your accounts only to the extent necessary to deliver the agreed service
- Never share your login credentials with third parties
- Handle any audience data, analytics or direct message information in line with this policy and the relevant platform's terms of service
- Return or delete access credentials upon termination of the service.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how visitors use our site.
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‍Essential cookies: Required for the website to function. These cannot be disabled.
‍Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website. We use this information to improve the site. These are only placed with your consent.
‍Marketing cookies: Used to track visits from marketing campaigns. Only placed with your consent.You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Refusing non-essential cookies will not affect your ability to use our website.

Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your information with:

Service providers: Third-party tools and platforms we use to run our business, including Webflow (website hosting), Google Analytics (website analytics), email providers, project management tools and accounting software. All providers are contractually required to handle your data securely and in line with UK GDPR.
Freelancers and contractors: Trusted specialists we work with to deliver client projects. They are bound by confidentiality agreements and only receive the minimum information necessary to complete their work.
Legal and regulatory authorities: If required by law or in response to a valid legal request.We will never share your personal data with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

Enquiry data: 12 months from last contact if no engagement follows.
Client project data: 6 years from project completion (in line with UK accounting and legal requirements).
Marketing consent records: Until you withdraw consent, plus 12 months thereafter.
‍Website analytics data: 26 months (standard Google Analytics retention).
‍Photography and video assets: As agreed in your project contract, or deleted upon written request.
‍Financial records: 6 years as required by HMRC

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

‍Right to access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
‍Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
‍Right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data where there is no legitimate reason for us to continue holding it.
‍Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability: You can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
‍Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
‍Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@esbenstudio.co.uk.

We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Changes To This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services or legal obligations.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at hello@esbenstudio.co.uk

‍For formal data protection requests, please mark your email: FAO Data Protection.