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Forget outdated consumer demographics and marketing personas—knowing your customers' names and preferences is no longer enough.
According to a Marketing & Sales Practice report by McKinsey, a staggering 71% of consumers now expect hyper-personalised experiences.
Hyper-personalisation is more than just a marketing buzzword. It’s a sophisticated strategy that leverages artificial intelligence (AI), big data, analytics, and automation to craft highly customised, real-time interactions with consumers.
It ensures that brands reach the right customer, at the right time, via the right digital platform.Advanced AI-driven technologies—like cameras integrated with emotion AI software—can now analyse facial expressions to gauge emotional states in real time.
These insights allow brands to curate tailored, hyper-relevant experiences that go beyond simple personalisation and foster deeper connections with consumers.“Relevance is now the baseline of digital interactions.
What businesses need to prioritise is resonance. To compete in the age of AI, you need to know how your customers feel at any given moment to ensure a seamless, personal experience that truly resonates,” says Gugu Mjadu, Executive General Manager: Marketing at Business Partners Limited.
The growing role of AI in personalisation is not without controversy. Take the backlash against Google Gemini’s AI-generated ad for the 2024 Olympics—a campaign that intended to assist parents in crafting letters to their children’s favourite athletes.
Critics argued that AI replacing such personal, human interactions missed the mark.The irony is hyper-personalisation is designed to avoid these very missteps.
Done right, it seamlessly adapts to nuanced, real-time emotional states, ensuring brands strike the perfect balance between technological sophistication and human sensitivity.
Take Spotify Wrapped, for example. Every year, the campaign turns user data into an engaging, shareable experience that feels deeply personal.
Instead of making customers feel like mere data points, it fosters a sense of identity and community—proving that hyper-personalisation, when executed effectively, drives engagement and brand loyalty.
For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), hyper-personalisation might seem like a luxury reserved for big-budget corporations. But the reality? It’s more accessible than ever. Here’s how SMEs can get in on the action:
The backbone of hyper-personalisation is data. SMEs can start by leveraging customer relationship management (CRM) software, website analytics, and social media insights to track customer preferences, behaviours, and needs. Compliance with data protection laws like the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is crucial to maintaining consumer trust.
Forget broad customer segments—today’s consumers demand ultra-tailored experiences. AI-driven analytics can help SMEs refine their approach. Take a page from Spotify’s playbook: by allowing users to create personalised radio stations based on their listening habits, the brand turns passive engagement into an interactive, data-powered experience.
Affordable AI-driven tools are revolutionising marketing for SMEs. AI-powered chatbots, for instance, provide real-time, personalised customer interactions.
Email marketing platforms can tailor subject lines, recommend products, and schedule messages based on customer behaviour.Consider Salesforce’s Agentforce AI for retail—a platform that automates key tasks like order management and guided shopping. Rather than replacing human agents,
AI enhances productivity by managing complex tasks, freeing up employees to focus on high-value interactions.
Despite its reliance on technology, hyper-personalisation is ultimately about deepening human connections. Brands that successfully integrate AI with authentic, empathetic engagement will build long-term consumer trust and loyalty.
“The key is to use technology to amplify, not replace, human connection. SMEs can build trust by focusing on creating authentic experiences that add real value. Hyper-personalisation is not just a marketing tool—it’s a way for businesses to cut through digital noise and forge meaningful relationships that drive sustainable growth,” concludes Mjadu.
The future of consumer engagement isn’t about choosing between AI and human connection—it’s about mastering the art of both.
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