Create ideas using: Empathize
How does showing empathy actually help sell something?
Because people buy from brands they feel understand them. Empathy isn't manipulation—it's genuine connection. When you show you really understand what someone's struggling with, they drop their guard. They trust you. They believe you're not just trying to extract money; you're trying to help. That's when they become customers for life. Most brands skip empathy and go straight to selling. The brands that survive do the opposite: prove you understand their struggle first, then offer help.
What's the difference between real empathy and fake, manipulative empathy?
Real empathy comes from understanding the actual struggle. You've researched it, you get it, you can articulate it better than customers sometimes can. Fake empathy is surface-level: 'hey, we know you're tired.' Real empathy goes deeper: 'we understand why you're tired, what it costs you, what you've already tried that didn't work.' Real empathy feels like someone actually listened. Fake empathy feels like someone googled 'customer pain points.'
Example: How it could look
A parent-focused productivity brand could show the specific struggle: not just 'parents are busy,' but the exact moment of failure—realizing at bedtime you didn't get that important email sent, watching your kid ask why you're working again. Show that specific, true moment. Then show how the product addresses that exact failure point. The empathy comes from showing you understand the precise struggle, not generic 'being busy.'
Or like this:
Why is Empathize a great technique?
Empathy campaigns work because they build connection before selling—people trust and buy from brands they feel actually understand them.
Drops people's defensive advertising walls
Builds trust before asking for transaction
Creates emotional connection to brand
Positions brand as helper, not just vendor
The brands people are most loyal to don't feel like they're selling—they feel like they're helping. Real empathy is the foundation of that feeling.
! When not to use the Empathize Technique
When you fake empathy without actual understanding. If the campaign shows you don't really get the struggle, people resent the attempt more than if you didn't try. Also skip it if you show empathy but your product doesn't actually address the struggle—false empathy is worse than no empathy.
Technique first described by www.deckofbrilliance.com