Utilizing empathy is one of the most important ways to connect. Not just in marketing, but in life. If you can’t understand and feel where someone is coming from, it’s almost impossible to be able to connect on a true emotional level.

Throughout the years, we’ve tapped into empathy as an Emotional Catalyst to inspire behavior change in several unique ways.

 

To help people quit smoking.

Our nationally recognized “No Judgments. Just Help.” campaign for Minnesota’s smoking cessation program was inspired by one 5-second interaction with a real smoker, who snapped at her husband for badgering her to quit.

“I’LL QUIT WHEN I’M READY,” she desperately fired back.

Empathy provided a light-bulb realization. Smokers are being judged and lectured from all angles at all times, including by advertising messaging itself. So we did the opposite. By truly feeling what a smoker felt, the right way to speak with them became obvious.

 

To encourage health insurance sign-ups.

We believe affordable healthcare should be for all. But no matter how you slice it, figuring out health insurance options is complicated and frustrating. (It’s not too hard to take an empathetic look at this truth.) 

Over our years of working with MNsure – Minnesota’s health insurance exchange – we continuously tapped into this feeling to provide some level of relief to the confusion. We did this both in heartfelt ways, and ways that just really acknowledged the frustration.

 

To drive better tech usage for fleet managers.

Obviously empathy isn’t just applicable to health initiatives. In partnership with Trimble Transportation – a software and hardware provider for the transportation industry – we landed on an empathetic insight that spoke to fleet managers specifically. Successfully getting goods and services from A to B was a constantly evolving target. In their own words, we had real fleet managers tell Trimble’s story through the universal lens of, “Never stop evolving.”

Empathy is just one of many Catalysts you can tap into for an emotional connection, but it’s often a very powerful way to show that you “get” your audience. In fact, I’m experiencing empathy for you right now in that you probably wanna be done reading this and move on with your day.  

I feel ya. So just read our outro then go play outside or something. #Empathy!

 

At CCF, we inspire change that matters – harnessing an Emotional Catalyst to drive powerful behavior change for brands, organizations and public initiatives.

To find your Emotional Catalyst, let’s talk.