Buyer Beware: Why are brands talking like they know me?

Ever since the Duolingo owl became a TikTok sensation, it seems like every organisation — from corporate brands to your state police department — wants to act like a cool, hip person on the internet. Whether they're getting into friendly social media beef, or sending seemingly personalised emails straight to your inbox, brands are talking like they really know us. So does this actually generate sales? And did this phenomenon exist before the internet?