Empathetic marketing to Gen Z 101: everything you need to know

Marketing to Gen Z can be a tough old ball-game

In today’s world, young consumers are looking for more than just products. They want to connect with brands that get them. 

Empathetic marketing plays a big role here. 

What is empathetic marketing?

Put simply, empathetic marketing is all about understanding your audience's emotions, needs, and challenges. It’s about crafting your message in a way that shows you truly care. Instead of focusing purely on selling a product, brands should use empathetic marketing to go deeper than surface-level.

This means actively listening. Addressing real concerns. Showing a genuine interest in what matters most to your audience.

Blanket marketing is out; empathetic marketing is in

Empathetic marketing should be a year-round goal, but certain times offer a unique opportunity to reach out to members of Gen Z and younger generations with sensitivity and support. From Pride Month to Baby Loss Awareness Week, moments like these call for mindful, genuine messaging rather than surface-level tactics or hard sells.

Why is empathy so essential in today’s marketing strategy?

Unlike previous generations, members of Gen Z are savvy and quick to recognize inauthenticity in brands.

With so much exposure to digital marketing, social media, and search engines from an early age, they’ve developed a strong filter for messaging that doesn’t feel real. They’re also highly conscious of the negative effects that come with digital engagement, particularly around mental health. So if marketers planning to reach them want to earn trust, they need to be consistently authentic, transparent, and willing to address tough topics with care.

‍It’s important, though, for brands to tread carefully‍

Empathy should feel genuine, not forced or opportunistic. If your brand offers a message of solidarity during sensitive moments or days of interest, your messaging shouldn't be surface level. Gen Z are highly susceptible to forced advertising and communications that don’t seem genuine. 

In this deep-dive, we’ll give you actionable tips on how to use empathetic marketing to connect with your audience during sensitive times. We’ll explore how to create messaging that feels genuine, recognize some key moments that matter to your customers, and respond in ways that build trust (and of course, loyalty).

How to ensure your messaging is genuine 

When you’re crafting your empathetic marketing strategy, the first step is to understand who your audience really is.

For Gen Z, this means getting to the heart of the issues that resonate with them – whether it’s mental health, sustainability, or social justice. (P.S.: if you aren’t sure where to start with that, we can help...).

Prioritize authenticity

Ah, the A-word. We say it a lot, yes. But it’s for good reason.

Authenticity is paramount for any degree of empathy – don’t create a message or a campaign because it’s trendy. If you want to align with a cause or sensitive issue, it should tie back to your brand’s values.

For example, if you’re a coal company with minimal environmental policies, you’re probably not going to want to shout about Earth Day. Consumers will quickly pick up on inauthenticity, and it’ll do more harm than good – trust us.

Listen and engage 

Empathy is built on a foundation of listening. Pay attention to what Gen Z is talking about on social media, in forums, and within their communities. Address these topics with thoughtful messaging that shows you’re listening (and responding accordingly), rather than jumping on a bandwagon.

Be open to feedback

Not everyone gets it right 100% of the time – and that’s okay! Collect feedback from your audience – make it optional for them to respond to your marketing comms, monitor your social inboxes and actively read your comments sections. Your customers will be the first to tell you if your messaging doesn’t land. Often, that can be the catalyst for transformation.

When are some key moments to show empathy?

While empathetic marketing should be an ongoing effort, there are times when it becomes even more important. Certain time periods, or events, provide opportunities for brands to lean in and show they’re attuned to what their audience is experiencing.

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day takes place in the UK on the 30th March 2025, and on the 11th of May 2025 in the USA. 

It’s a time for celebrating our beloved matriarchs, and brands will often get involved by offering exclusive deals or special campaigns. However, this day can also bring up mixed emotions for those who have lost a mother, are estranged from family, or face challenges like infertility.

Brands can do better by acknowledging this. Many companies, such as Bloom & Wild, have offered those on their mailing lists the option to “opt-out” of marketing communications.

This is a great example of empathetic marketing. Bloom & Wild show that they respect their audience's feelings and understand that not everyone may want to receive promotional messages on occasions that can be emotionally charged.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day takes place on the 15th June 2025 in the USA and USA.

Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can evoke a range of emotions. Some people are grieving the loss of a father, while others may have grown up without one or have complex family dynamics. 

Brands can empathetically market this day by being inclusive of different fatherhood experiences. You may wish to showcase some diverse stories. Or, you may want to follow the lead of other brands, and also offer your consumers an opt-out box. Lush is another example of a brand who has done this – with great feedback. In one Reddit thread, a user shared a screenshot of a Father's Day opt-out.

Other users were quick to celebrate Lush for doing this. One user remarked it was "awesome", whilst another shared they were "so glad this is in place". Bravo.

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Baby Loss Awareness Week (October 9–15)

This is a highly sensitive time dedicated to remembering those who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. If your brand is choosing to acknowledge this time, you must approach this topic with extreme care. To rephrase what we said earlier: only get involved in a conversation where you have something worth saying. 

If you’re a brand who has relevance to this time period, you may wish to partner with a charity that supports baby loss awareness. You may wish to use your platform to share resources, or create a respectful post acknowledging the pain of those affected.

Most importantly (and it should be fairly obvious!), do not use this time to sell. Your brand should be a safe space, not a marketing tool, during sensitive moments.

Pride Month 

Pride Month takes place in June every year. Rainbows will take over social media feeds as brands scramble to showcase solidarity. 

While Pride Month celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, it’s also a time when companies need to be sensitive to issues of authenticity. Performative allyship, where brands only engage with LGBTQ+ content for the sake of marketing, can backfire. Additionally, individuals in countries where LGBTQ+ rights are not fully recognized might experience this time differently.

Brands should support the LGBTQ+ community through actions, not words (or just rainbow-colored logos). Examples of this could be active donations to LGBTQ+ causes, partnering with charitable organizations, or publicly sharing your DE&I credentials.

Gen Z are quick to call out brands that are privy to “rainbow capitalism”.

In 2023, Target came under fire, after they received backlash for selling pride-themed products.

Some consumers claimed the products were “inappropriate” and that Target should not comment on social issues. Instead of standing up and protecting the LGBTQ+ community against these comments, the brand decided to stop their campaign and remove the range. Target tried to protect its reputation, but ultimately ended up creating more division. Zero bravos.

Empathetic marketing outside days of interest

So, outside of days of interest and the marketing calendar, how else can your brand show empathy?

Address sensitive issues thoughtfully

Approach tough topics with care and respect. Young consumers can tell when a reaction is rushed, or inauthentic. They value brands that listen and respond mindfully rather than rushing to react. Show you’re in tune with the conversation, not just the trend.

Acknowledge when you get it wrong

Mistakes happen, but owning them is key. Gen Z respects brands that admit when they’ve missed the mark and are willing to learn. A sincere apology goes further than silence or deflection.

Offer genuine solutions, instead of hard sells

Gen Z are tougher to market to than other demographics. They’ve often been dubbed as “allergic” to traditional advertising, thanks to growing up with smartphones and being inundated with marketing from a young age. A hard sell might sometimes be necessary, yes, but sometimes you might just want to focus on finding a solution, rather than pushing a product. Your social channels are a great place to start – take Dove, for example. 

They’re a legacy brand, but one who uses their voice to make a difference. Often campaigning on unrealistic body standards, Dove has previously used their social channels to promote their #NoDigitalDistortion campaign, bringing real, unedited images to social feeds. They leaned into a conversation empathetically, knowing that their stance on a very pressing issue was one likely to hit home.

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Empathy isn’t just good for business; it’s the key to creating loyalty

So, as you plan your next campaign, remember: it’s not just about what you’re selling, but how you’re showing up for the people you’re reaching.

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