In the age of AI and real-time behavioral targeting, personalization has become a buzzword and a balancing act. The ability to scale custom experiences across digital channels can offer immense value, but it also walks a fine line between relevance and overreach.
So how can brands meet customer expectations without triggering privacy concerns? We asked members of the CMO Think Tank to share how they’re navigating personalization at scale in 2025. Their answers show a clear trend: transparency, helpfulness, and context matter more than ever.
“When customers control the pace of personalization, remarkable things happen.”
Personalization Should Feel Like a Concierge, Not a Surveillance Camera
While studies have shown that a personalized experience leads to more conversions, Businesses that default to an opt-out model with regards to personalization run the risk of incurring fines or other penalties if their practices are deemed to violate privacy regulations. In addition, a user is more likely to provide authentic information when they know how that information will be used. But there are even more reasons to allow users to be in control.
Kathleen Lucente, Founder and CEO of Red Fan Communications, says the difference between helpful and creepy comes down to control. “Market leaders understand that personalization must function like an attentive concierge—present when needed but never intrusive.”
Her agency advises clients to adopt “progressive trust” frameworks. That means giving customers more control over how they experience personalization through tools like preference dashboards. “When customers control the pace of personalization, remarkable things happen,” she says. Opt-in rates go up, trust builds, and brands stay on the right side of the line.
Context Over Prediction
Heather Stickler, CMO at Tidal Basin Group, believes that being useful is the ultimate filter for personalization. Rather than guessing exact intent, her team analyzes behavioral themes to provide helpful resources.
For example, if someone browses emergency preparedness, they don’t get a sales pitch—they get a checklist or a planning guide. “This approach feels thoughtful, not creepy or intrusive,” she says. The goal isn’t to be psychic; it’s to be relevant in a way that respects the customer’s pace and preferences.
Recognize that consumers are spending more time researching multiple options online before they are willing to make a purchase. Offering material that meets them where they likely are in the buying process rather than assuming the sale can also be a great way to build trust in your brand through emotional storytelling.
“We focus on building segments around context and serve value-driven content that positions our brand as a resource.”
Intent, Not Identity
Boris Dzhingarov, CEO of ESBO, emphasizes real-time, contextual value over tracking personal identity. “We focus on micro-moments and contextual relevance,” he says.
Instead of hypertargeting individuals, ESBO uses first-party data, behavioral triggers, and AI segmentation to deliver useful content in real time. “Personalization at scale in 2025 means delivering relevant experiences based on intent—not personal identity,” he adds.
Repeat visits to your pricing page or an frequently asked question page are more reliable signals that a user is ready to make a purchase than their personal demographics.
Help, Don’t Stalk
Jayashree Rajan, CMO at Nexla, says true personalization is rooted in the user journey, not surveillance. Her team uses signals of intent to make timely and helpful suggestions, whether that’s through content, outreach, or product alignment.
“Instead of cold calling with generic scripts, we bring up relevant topics we know they’re probably already thinking about,” she says. From top-of-funnel education to bottom-of-funnel case studies, the goal is to assist the buyer, not show off how much data you’ve collected.
Key Takeaways for Marketing Teams
- Transparency builds trust. Let customers decide how deeply they want to personalize.
- Use data to inform, not invade. Intent signals and context are more effective than identity-based targeting.
- Design for relevance, not reach. Focus on micro-moments and helpful content.
- Be useful, not creepy. Personalization should feel like a service, not surveillance.
- Let empathy lead. Good personalization meets the customer where they are, not where the brand wants them to be.
Personalization at scale isn’t about proving how much you know; it’s about showing how much you care. In 2025, the most successful marketing teams are those that blend data with empathy, empower customers to set boundaries, and prioritize helpfulness over hyper-targeting. That’s not just smarter marketing—it’s more human.
