From TikTok to the Ballot Box

If you’d told someone five years ago that TikTok would play a central role in a presidential election, you’d have been laughed out of the room. Fast forward to 2024 and TikTok completely changed the face of the Romanian presidential race.

C?lin Georgescu, a candidate who seemed to pop out of nowhere, wasn’t even appearing in polls until just a few weeks before the elections. Yet, in an incredibly short span of three weeks, he managed to secure the top spot in the first round.

He wasn’t the candidate with the biggest budget (allegedly) or the loudest ads on TV. Instead, his team took his message straight to where people actually spend their time—on their phones, swiping through bite-sized videos.

Hyper-personalized messaging speaks directly to individual concerns. Georgescu didn’t post generic political ads. He addressed the frustrations, aspirations, and emotions of specific voter segments.?

In doing so, he turned TikTok’s infamous algorithm into his campaign manager, amplifying his voice to millions who resonated with his content.

What makes this exciting is how hyper-personalization has evolved. Businesses can now achieve personalization at scale—something that wasn’t possible until recently.

You don’t need to shout louder. You need to know how to make your message matter to the person on the other end of the screen.

TikTok as a Political Arena

TikTok used to be about dances, memes, and the occasional life hack. But today, it’s also a powerful platform for influence, and C?lin Georgescu’s campaign is proof of that.

The platform’s algorithm thrives on hyper-personalization. Unlike other social networks, TikTok doesn’t rely on who you follow. It learns what grabs your attention and feeds you more of it. For a campaign, this is gold.?

From rural voters worried about economic struggles to urban youth frustrated by the political status quo, his videos hit where it mattered. On Georgescu’s part, it was a calculated move to shift the battleground of politics.

But if you are a business, the good news is you don’t need to go to where your competitors are. Instead, go where your audience is already tuned in. Because when relevance meets personalization, the results can be wild.

What’s Hyper-Personalization Anyway?

Ok, so you’ve heard me mention hyper-personalization a million times, but what is that exactly??

Well, it’s that beautiful “magic” behind those perfectly-timed Netflix recommendations. Which, of course, involves no magic at all – it’s just the result of thousands of subtle data points working together.

You know those moments when you mention to your partner that you’re thinking about buying a washing machine, and suddenly your phone seems to “listen” to you, serving up ads for washing machines everywhere you look? It’s not actually listening. It doesn’t need to.

Algorithms pick up on micro-actions you’ve already made: how long you paused on a social media post about home appliances, how much attention you gave to a banner ad or even the subtle hesitations in your scrolling patterns. These seemingly tiny signals tell the algorithm what you need, sometimes before you’ve even said it out loud.

Hyper-personalization works in the same way. It doesn’t guess. It uses those small, unconscious behaviors to predict what matters to you. And when done right, it feels seamless, almost like “magic”.

Take Georgescu’s campaign. Instead of shouting generic promises into the void, his team got specific. He created specific messages for different segments of the population. He talked about God to the religious, he talked about the sovereignty of the state to the nationalists, and so on.?

To voters, it felt like he was speaking directly to them, addressing the issues they cared about most. But hyper-personalization wasn’t just about knowing who to speak to—it was also about knowing who not to engage with. Georgescu’s campaign understood that certain segments weren’t worth targeting, either because the message wouldn’t resonate or because the effort wouldn’t translate into votes.

For example, messages like “We don’t send children to war” struck a chord with mothers over 40, addressing their fears directly while avoiding irrelevant topics that wouldn’t connect with this group. This strategic filtering contributed to the element of surprise—his campaign reached the right people without wasting resources on the wrong ones.

The Power and Responsibility of Hyper-Personalization

AI and data make it easier than ever to understand what different segments of your audience need and create messages that truly resonate. Today, we’re working with many audience segments and we tailor the content to match the needs and preferences of each group.?

Tomorrow is another story. We’re slowly heading toward a world of “segments of one,” where personalization reaches an entirely new level.

As Yuval Noah Harari warns, this level of AI sophistication has both incredible potential and serious risks. AI can learn from user behaviors, adapting in ways that feel seamless and personal. But when used irresponsibly, this same power can manipulate public opinion, spreading disinformation and fostering a new kind of propaganda.?

Harari highlights how this could distort democratic processes by undermining genuine dialogue and eroding trust in shared truths. For businesses, this is a wake-up call. Hyper-personalization isn’t just about relevance—it comes with a responsibility.?

While the ability to connect on a deeply personal level is transformative, it’s essential to use AI in a way that respects individual autonomy and supports authentic engagement.

As we approach this “segments of one” reality, businesses must balance innovation with ethics. Their strategies need to build trust rather than exploit it.

Lessons for Your Business

C?lin Georgescu (despite his flaws and questionable philosophies) showed us how your business can benefit in the age of AI-driven personalization.?

If a grassroots candidate can use hyper-personalization to win votes, there’s no reason you can do the same. Here’s how:

1. Know Where Your Audience Is

Georgescu didn’t try to drag voters to platforms they didn’t care about—he went to TikTok because that’s where his audience was spending their time. For businesses, it’s the same rule. Are your customers scrolling Instagram? Watching YouTube? Checking their email? Focus your efforts where they’re already engaged.

2. Speak Their Language

Georgescu’s team created specific messages for different voter groups. Businesses need to do the same. Use AI to analyze your audience’s preferences, behavior, and needs. Then, create messaging that speaks directly to them. If your audience is price-conscious, highlight affordability. If they value quality, focus on craftsmanship. One size doesn’t fit all, and your communication should reflect that.

3. Personalization Scales with AI

What made Georgescu’s campaign work was its ability to scale. He didn’t have one message for one group. He used tools like TikTok’s algorithm to deliver hundreds of variations tailored to different segments. For businesses, AI can do the heavy lifting by analyzing customer data and delivering personalized recommendations, emails, and ads at scale. Whether you’re an online retailer or a SaaS company, this kind of scalability is within reach.

4. Make It About Them, Not You

Georgescu didn’t talk about his campaign—he talked about what his voters cared about. Businesses need to adopt the same mindset. Instead of listing product features, talk about how those features solve a customer’s problem or make their life easier. People don’t buy products, they buy solutions.

5. Authenticity Wins

The reason Georgescu’s messages worked was because they felt real. Authenticity builds trust, and trust drives action. Businesses should avoid overly polished or generic content. Instead, focus on storytelling, real-life examples, and a tone that feels human.

Whether you’re running for office or running a business, the principle is the same: the better you know your audience, the better you’ll connect.

The Risks of the Personalization Boom

We’ve talked about the benefits of hyper-personalization, but what about the risks?

As C?lin Georgescu’s campaign demonstrated, this strategy raises serious questions about ethics, transparency, and long-term trust.

Here’s where the risks come into play:

1. Manipulation vs. Connection

When personalization is done right, it feels like a genuine connection. But when it’s used irresponsibly, it can cross into manipulation. Georgescu amplified controversial topics to appeal to specific groups. While this worked politically, it also showed how easy it is to use data-driven strategies to exploit emotions or fuel division.

For businesses, there’s a fine line between connecting with customers and exploiting their vulnerabilities. Push too hard, and you risk eroding trust instead of building it.

2. Data Privacy Concerns

Hyper-personalization depends on data. For businesses, collecting this kind of data is necessary—but it also raises privacy concerns. How much is too much? And are customers fully aware of how their data is being used?

Transparency is important. Businesses must be upfront about what data they collect and why. Otherwise, they risk backlash or even regulatory penalties.

3. Platform Dependency

Georgescu’s campaign leaned heavily on TikTok’s algorithm, which worked brilliantly—until it didn’t. Algorithms change, platforms fall out of favor, and what works today might be obsolete tomorrow. For businesses, putting all your eggs in one platform’s basket is a risky move. Diversification and adaptability are essential to long-term success.

4. Echo Chambers and Bias

When personalization goes unchecked, it can create echo chambers. TikTok’s algorithm, for instance, is designed to feed users content they already like—reinforcing their existing views. While this can drive engagement, it can also lead to narrow perspectives and limit exposure to diverse ideas. For businesses, this means being mindful of how personalized content is delivered to avoid alienating segments of your audience.

5. Ethical Responsibility

Just because you can personalize doesn’t always mean you should. Georgescu’s ability to deliver tailored messages to specific groups is impressive, but it also shows how easily this approach can be used to manipulate emotions or stir controversy. Businesses need to approach personalization with an ethical mindset—focusing on adding value, not exploiting customers.

AI vs Standalone Personalization

Personalization in itself is great, but AI is the tool that allows businesses—and political campaigns, as we’ve seen—to connect with people on a personal level at scale. Without AI, you can get the message out there, but it’s not as effective.?

AI lets you analyze customer behaviors and preferences, not just to sell products but to create experiences that feel personal. Whether it’s recommending a product based on past purchases or adjusting a marketing campaign to reflect changing trends, AI makes it possible to engage with your audience quickly.

Of course, balance is just as important. AI provides the insights, but the human touch—the understanding of what truly resonates—is still essential.??

In a world where people expect less noise, AI is what helps you deliver. It has everything it needs to become the baseline for staying relevant.

Your Turn to Innovate

Following the trail left behind by a surprising election race, the lesson (beyond political bias and speculation) is clear. Hyper-personalization is a marketing tool that can generate more leads for your business.?

And the good thing is you don’t need a presidential campaign budget or a team of strategists to do this. AI has made hyper-personalization accessible to businesses of all sizes. The real challenge is taking the first step. Sticking to what’s familiar may be easy, but thanks to people like Georgescu you are no longer taking a leap of faith, but a calculated leap.Hyper-personalization powered by AI works. We’ve seen it time and time again, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t reap the benefits. Your audience is waiting. And the opportunity to make your message matter—to make it personal—is right in front of you.