• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, July 24, 2025

Personalization is losing some of its luster as a marketing tactic, at least the way it is now being practiced, judging by a new study from Cordial titled The Evolution Of Personalized Marketing: What Consumers Really Want In 2025. 

Shoppers “increasingly reject tactics that feel like surveillance,” the study notes. Email senders in particular should keep this in mind as they engage in wholesale personalization.  

The most dramatic shift in effectiveness was in product recommendations from past purchases — it fell from 62% in 2024 to 38% this year, for a 24% drop. This shows that traditional recommendation engines may need refreshing, the study says.

In addition, there has been a 10% drop in effectiveness for ads showing previously browsed items — from 23% to 33%. 

Discounts in interest categories fell by 9% to 61%. And ads using personal details/names slipped by 2% to 12%. 

“These declines indicate that consumers are becoming more discerning about how their data is used, favoring subtler approaches that provide value without feeling like surveillance,” the study says.

But there is also good news. For instance, marketing based on social-media activity jumped by 8% to 21% YoY.  

“This suggests that consumers are becoming more comfortable with brands using their social media behavior to create relevant offers, perhaps reflecting the increasing integration of shopping experiences within social platforms,” the study says.  

And, despite privacy fears, 36% of consumers now report location-based offers as influencing their purchase decisions, up from 32%. 

“This 4% increase highlights the continued importance of proximity marketing as mobile device usage remains ubiquitous,” the study says. “Brands that can deliver timely, location-relevant offers without seeming invasive are finding particular success in this area.”

The takeaway?  “The overall picture painted by this year’s data suggests that consumers still value personalization, but they’re becoming more sophisticated in their preferences.” 

Cordial surveyed 1,000 consumers.