MARKETING WITH EMPATHY: IT'S ALL ABOUT TUGGING ON HEARTSTRINGS
Technology is advancing, products are developing, brands are growing and marketing is accelerating. This new year, already, has dumped a whole load of genius marketing ploys and advertising spots on consumers. Just look back at the Super Bowl commercials. Some were smart, engaging and funny. However, despite their appeal, are advertisements like that enough? We say no, and so does a recent spot from Volvo. With voice-over featuring the famous philosopher Alan Watts’ speech “Live Fully Now,” and imagery that focuses more on life than product, this ad embodies the foundation of marketing.
“You can’t live in full, unless you can live fully now,” Watts utters. Throughout the promotion, Watt’s words echo the transitions of life, from the time we enter school till we are thrust into the real world as a professional. “While it is of tremendous use for us to be able to look ahead, there is no use planning for a future, which when you get to it, and it becomes the present, you won’t be there,” Watts reverberates. “You’ll be living in some other future, which hasn’t arrived yet. And so, in this way, one is never able to actually inherit and enjoy the fruits of ones actions.” Not once does the advertisement mention the actual car, its features or price. Instead, it focuses more inward to the heart.
“International research, undertaken by Volvo Cars, shows that 6/10 people globally want to spend more time pursuing outdoor activities. Among those who feel unable to prioritize their hobbies, 68% indicated their their work takes up too much time in their life. Responding to these insights, Volvo Cars’ new V90 Cross Country campaign encourages people to rediscover their passions and adventures that they once lived and prioritized,” an article from Little Black Book online said. Through their research, Volvo unearthed a wealth of knowledge about the most personal features of their audience - their goals, ambitions and the barriers that are keeping them from achieving life dreams. Then, they acted upon it.
Selling a product is no longer enough, Jeremy Ellens from Entrepreneur.com states. People react to experiences, and that reaction is captured through the triggering of emotions. It’s the foremost way to establish a deeper value with customers. But how are those feelings sparked? It’s called empathy. Kevin McKeon says in an article from AdAge.com that empathy can power action because it serves people’s needs, brightens their day and adds value to their life. “People love your brand because your brand is thinking about them,” McKeon expresses. Empathize with your audience’s desire for experiences, whether it is illustrating a consumer's lifelong goal or enveloping them in nostalgic happiness (or Volvo’s reminder to those passionate about adventure). “How well your product satisfies the intrinsic need is what will set you apart from the competition,” Ellen says.
Furthermore, Jim Joseph, also from Entrepreneur.com, remarks in an article that even the most astonishing facts won’t set a brand apart from another. Despite how substantial the information is, the audience won’t be able to relate unless it tugs on their heart strings. That emotional strum is what will differentiate a brand from countless others who offer similar goods. After all, consumers don’t become loyal to a brand out of habit. Established relationships are formed through sentimental attachments.
Empathize with your audience. The key is to prove to them that their desires and hopes are not far-fetched. Tell them you get it. Relate to their longing. Then, show them how your product will satisfy that inherent yearning, and how it can do it now. Like Watts said, “You can’t live in full, unless you can live fully now.”
“You can’t live in full, unless you can live fully now,” Watts utters. Throughout the promotion, Watt’s words echo the transitions of life, from the time we enter school till we are thrust into the real world as a professional. “While it is of tremendous use for us to be able to look ahead, there is no use planning for a future, which when you get to it, and it becomes the present, you won’t be there,” Watts reverberates. “You’ll be living in some other future, which hasn’t arrived yet. And so, in this way, one is never able to actually inherit and enjoy the fruits of ones actions.” Not once does the advertisement mention the actual car, its features or price. Instead, it focuses more inward to the heart.
“International research, undertaken by Volvo Cars, shows that 6/10 people globally want to spend more time pursuing outdoor activities. Among those who feel unable to prioritize their hobbies, 68% indicated their their work takes up too much time in their life. Responding to these insights, Volvo Cars’ new V90 Cross Country campaign encourages people to rediscover their passions and adventures that they once lived and prioritized,” an article from Little Black Book online said. Through their research, Volvo unearthed a wealth of knowledge about the most personal features of their audience - their goals, ambitions and the barriers that are keeping them from achieving life dreams. Then, they acted upon it.
Selling a product is no longer enough, Jeremy Ellens from Entrepreneur.com states. People react to experiences, and that reaction is captured through the triggering of emotions. It’s the foremost way to establish a deeper value with customers. But how are those feelings sparked? It’s called empathy. Kevin McKeon says in an article from AdAge.com that empathy can power action because it serves people’s needs, brightens their day and adds value to their life. “People love your brand because your brand is thinking about them,” McKeon expresses. Empathize with your audience’s desire for experiences, whether it is illustrating a consumer's lifelong goal or enveloping them in nostalgic happiness (or Volvo’s reminder to those passionate about adventure). “How well your product satisfies the intrinsic need is what will set you apart from the competition,” Ellen says.
Furthermore, Jim Joseph, also from Entrepreneur.com, remarks in an article that even the most astonishing facts won’t set a brand apart from another. Despite how substantial the information is, the audience won’t be able to relate unless it tugs on their heart strings. That emotional strum is what will differentiate a brand from countless others who offer similar goods. After all, consumers don’t become loyal to a brand out of habit. Established relationships are formed through sentimental attachments.
Empathize with your audience. The key is to prove to them that their desires and hopes are not far-fetched. Tell them you get it. Relate to their longing. Then, show them how your product will satisfy that inherent yearning, and how it can do it now. Like Watts said, “You can’t live in full, unless you can live fully now.”
