If overusing marketing clichés were a crime, I’d be serving a life sentence. I’ve lost count of how many blog posts, ebooks, email campaigns, and other content marketing assets I’ve written over the years that include the phrase “delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.” It must be in the hundreds by now. But just because something is a cliché doesn’t mean it’s not true. 

We all know that thoughtful, considered personalization is what separates professional, dedicated, and successful email marketing teams from those “spray and pray” hooligans who clutter our inboxes and give the industry a bad name. But can marketing personalization go too far? 

In this post, we’ll explore the idea that while personalization is, and always will be, a marketing best practice, there are times when marketers might want to consider dialling it back a little bit. 

Personalization Matters – But So Does Surprise 

Personalization is a powerful strategy. It’s the difference between a brand that feels like it knows you and one that feels like it’s shouting into the void. When done well, it builds trust, relevance, and results. It’s why we obsess over segmentation, behavioral triggers, and dynamic content blocks. It’s why we track clicks like detectives and A/B test like scientists. 

But here’s the thing: if every message is tailored to what someone already likes, already does, or already expects… where’s the room for growth? 

That’s where the 80/20 rule comes in. 

80% Personalization, 20% Possibility 

Eighty percent of your marketing should absolutely be personalized. It should reflect what you know about your audience – their preferences, their behaviors, their lifecycle stage. This is your bread and butter. It’s what keeps your emails opened, your CTAs clicked, and your unsubscribe rates low. 

But the other 20%? That’s your playground. That’s where you introduce something unexpected. A new product. A bold idea. A fresh perspective. Something they didn’t know they needed until you showed it to them. 

Because let’s face it, if you only ever show people what they already like, you’re not marketing – you’re creating an echo chamber.

Why That 20% Matters More Than You Think

• It sparks curiosity: People don’t always know what they want. Sometimes, they need a nudge.
• It drives innovation: New ideas don’t come from echo chambers. They come from brave experiments.
• It builds brand personality: You’re not just a recommendation engine. You’re a storyteller. 

So yes, personalize, segment, and automate. But also – surprise, delight, and disrupt. Leave a little window of opportunity open in your campaigns for the unexpected. Because sometimes, the best message isn’t the one they were waiting for. It’s the one they didn’t see coming. 

Real-World Examples of the 80/20 Rule in Action 

Let’s take a look at how smart brands are already applying this balance. 

Imagine a travel company that sends personalized offers based on your past trips – beach holidays, city breaks, spa weekends. That’s the 80%. But then, out of nowhere, they hit you with a “Top 5 Adventure Holidays You’ve Never Considered” email. That’s the 20%. It’s unexpected, it’s bold, and it might just be the spark that gets you booking a hiking trip in Patagonia. 

Or think about your favorite streaming service. You get recommendations based on your viewing history (80%), but every now and then, they throw in a “Hidden Gems” section that’s completely outside your usual genre. That’s the 20% – and it’s often where the magic happens. 

These brands understand that personalization builds comfort, but novelty builds excitement. 

The Psychology Behind Discovery 

Here’s where things get really interesting. 

Humans are wired for novelty. We get a dopamine hit when we encounter something new, something unexpected. It’s why we click on “You won’t believe what happened next” headlines (even when we know better). It’swhy we try new restaurants, explore new hobbies, and occasionally buy things we didn’t know we needed. 

In marketing, tapping into that curiosity is powerful. It’s what turns a passive reader into an active explorer. It’s what transforms a routine email into a moment of inspiration. 

The challenge here is creating an opportunity to gently surprise your subscribers – and this can only happen if they’re actively engaging with your emails. That means focusing first and foremost on personalization. 

Get Your Personalization Strategy Right First 

Before you can surprise and delight, you need to earn attention, and that starts with getting your personalization strategy right. Integrated tools like Adestra, Audiences, and Second Street take the guesswork and manual labor out of this approach by helping marketers build the kind of data-driven foundation that makes personalization both scalable and meaningful. Here’s how: 

• Adestra: Empowers marketers to go beyond basic segmentation. With its flexible campaign automation and dynamic content capabilities, you can tailor messages based on behavior, preferences, and lifecycle stage—without losing sight of the human behind the data. It’s personalization with purpose, not just personalization for personalization’s sake.
• Audiences: Helps marketers visualize who their subscribers are and what they care about. By connecting the dots between interactions, Audiences enables smarter targeting and more relevant messaging – so your 80% personalization is truly personal. 
• Second Street: Brings a unique twist by turning engagement into insight. Through interactive experiences like contests, quizzes, and polls, it helps marketers collect zero-party data directly from users. That means you’re not guessing what people want- you’re asking them. And that’s a powerful way to personalize with confidence. 

Together, these platforms help marketers build trust, relevance, and engagement, creating the conditions where that magical 20% element of surprise can truly shine.

Time To Get Personal 

Are you curious about how you can optimize your marketing personalization strategy, delivering the right message to the right person at the right time (I did it again!), while weaving in an element of surprise that keep your subscribers engaged? Schedule a call or request a demo with one of our marketing experts today. Who knows, they might just surprise you. 

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