Hyperpersonalisation: intelligence in brand communication

Hyperpersonalisation represents one of the greatest promises and disruptions in contemporary brand communication. Powered by artificial intelligence systems and predictive modelling, this approach allows brands to create messages, products and experiences that respond in real time to users' behaviours, preferences and individual contexts. It is, in essence, a digital shop window that changes depending on who walks by. A reflection of desire shaped by data.

However, what initially seems like a technical triumph can quickly become a relational trap. Hyperpersonalised communication has the potential to resonate like a perfectly timed whisper in the ear... or be perceived as intrusive surveillance. The boundary between relevance and invasion is thin, and many brands stumble precisely by failing to recognise this inflection point.

From a psychological point of view, the human-brand interaction must respect what social psychology calls the "relational comfort zone". Interactions are perceived as positive when they occur within a symbolically safe space. Outside of that space, defence mechanisms are triggered: distrust, perception of manipulation, rejection of the message. Recent studies, such as those by Shoshana Zuboff, warn of the effects of so-called "digital surveillance": the more a brand appears omnipresent and predictive, the more it undermines the user's sense of autonomy. Excessive control generates anxiety, erodes trust, and causes cognitive fatigue. Hyperpersonalisation ceases to be a service and becomes a suspicion. At the same time, relational distance must be carefully calibrated. Too far, and the brand dissolves into irrelevance. Too close, and it creates discomfort. The key lies in a deep understanding of the consumer's timing, context and emotional space. A brand should be a meaningful presence, not an oppressive omnipresence. It must know when to show up... and when to step back.

This point becomes even more relevant when we consider that the human brain values predictable patterns, but also appreciates surprise. Effective hyperpersonalisation should balance predictability with the unexpected, automation with empathy.

The challenge, therefore, is not in knowing more about each individual, but in knowing what to do with that knowledge. This is where artificial intelligence must give way to emotional intelligence. To hyperpersonalise is to listen more deeply, not to speak more loudly. It is to offer value without intrusion. It is to dance with data without overstepping the bounds of the relationship.

In the end, the most effective communication will always be that which respects the other as a subject and not as a target. The most human – even when mediated by machines.

Sources:

• IBM (2024). Hyper-Personalization: Driving Relevance in Real-Time. ibm.com

• McKinsey & Company (2024). Unlocking the Next Frontier of Personalized Marketing. mckinsey.com

• CMSWire (2023). Hyper-Personalized Ads: Marketing's Biggest Win and Risk.

• Idomoo (2024). 7 Hyperpersonalization Examples from Brands Who Got It Right. idomoo.com

• Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs.

• Altman, I. (1975). The Environment and Social Behavior: Privacy, Personal Space, Territory, and Crowding.