Moensie Rossier presents 'Tyranny of Empathy: What Brands Should Not Do With This Powerful Force' at Mumbrella360, 2022.

1. THE TYRANNY
OF EMPATHY
20 July 2022
Principals Strategy Director Moensie Rossier

2. 2
THE TYRANNY OF EMPATHY
Empathy is a powerful force
that inspires, unites and mobilises
– and also polarises.
It’s used to build modern brands
that address societal issues and
reinforce trust.
But, even with the best intentions,
empathy can be a tricky force
to wield.
Utilise empathy effectively in the
face of 5 tyrannies, where empathy
is a hard task master:
1. Political correctness
2. Miscommunication
3. Burnt out employees
4. Purpose washing
5. Being at the mercy of trolls

3. 3
Tyranny #1: Political correctness
I WANT TO DO THE RIGHT
THING BUT I’M AFRAID OF
DOING THE WRONG THING

4. 4
DON’T BE TOO PRECIOUS OR
TOO POLITICALLY CORRECT
– IT WILL STOP YOU DOING ANYTHING

5. 5
DON’T BE
LOST FOR WORDS
Metaphors in everyday language
are everyone’s, particularly
when used inclusively.
“Good to see you”
“Going for a walk”
UK government guidance on portraying people with disabilities.

6. 6
“Tough is not a female word.”
“Breakthrough is too masculine.”
“Up for it. Too sexual.”
6
INCLUSIVE
LANGUAGE?

7. 7
OR PRESUMPTION?
“Tough is not a female word.”
“Breakthrough is too masculine.”
“Up for it. Too sexual.”
7

8. 8
Being a truly diverse
and inclusive brand
means being brave
enough to elevate
the individual and
the unique.
Principals Brand Inclusion Optimiser
VALUE
INDIVIDUALITY
Demonstrated in your
messaging, personas, CX,
employee experience
and communication.

9. 9
"That image gets me up off the couch more
than anything else…and for me, a hijab-
wearing woman, footage of covered nuns
playing sport is so relatable.”
Diversity and inclusion leader; member of the Outer Sanctum podcast Rana Hussain (ABC).
Use in-depth, nuanced research to uncover
surprising truths that offer stand out
opportunities for connection.
9
EMPATHY CAN SEEM TO
WORK IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS

10. 10
556418667 - Cultura
In every instance,
consumers are drawn to
personality, emotion,
realness and human
connection.
(Visual GPS)
10

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11

12. 12
Tyranny #2: Miscommunication
I WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE BUT
DON’T WANT TO OVERCOMPLICATE
MY MESSAGE

13. 13 Are you bringing added meaning,
or distracting from the message?
People draw their own conclusions
in the absence of clarity.
(Recruit inclusively, but not
exclusively, unless you mean to.)
WHAT MEANING
DO YOU WANT
TO CONVEY?
TEACHERS
WANTED

14. 14
A NATURAL PART OF THE STORYLINE
If you’re not trying to focus the story on a
specific disability-related message or idea,
include disabled people in a natural way.
Posted on 21 Mar 2016

15. 15
- In 2012 only 14% had any
interest in watching the
Paralympic Games. By 2020,
20 million viewers watched
(a third of the UK population)
- 4 in 5 people said their attitude
towards disabled people had
changed for the better.
SHOW HEROES WHEN THE STORY
REALLY IS ABOUT HEROISM

16. 16
BEWARE
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
2 OUT OF 3
BUT WE DON’T ADMIT TO
HAVING BIASES OURSELVES.
Source: Getty Visual GPS
Working with the NeuroLeadership Institute Tiffany
& Co. aims to be the most inclusive luxury brand,
of us feel that others
are biased against us,

17. 17
Tyranny #3: Burnt out employees
CUSTOMER OBSESSION &
AVOIDANCE CULTURES

18. 18
Behind-the-scenes workers
are under pressure to fulfil
every order.
Out of sight and out of mind,
they bear the brunt of
catering to unrealistic
customer expectations.
EVERY CLICK TO ORDER HAS
HUMAN CONSEQUENCES

19. 19
Use in-depth research
to understand what’s
driving customers to
make tall orders.
For example, do people
need near-instant
delivery because they
need to factor in time
to return unsuitable
products?
Unlock alternative
strategies to satisfy
them, e.g. ways to
get it right first time,
like made-to-order.
TAKE AN INSIGHTS-DRIVEN APPROACH TO
ADDRESS THE ROOT CUSTOMER PROBLEM

20. 20
To be trustworthy, a
company must value its
employees. It has to pay
them fair wages and not
overwork them.
I do not trust food delivery
companies that pay so little
to their drivers that they have
to risk their own safety in
order to make a
reasonable wage.
Principals Online Community Research, 2022
EMPATHISE WITH
YOUR PEOPLE AS
MUCH AS YOUR
CUSTOMERS
Using a well-considered
EVP and employer-
employee contract.

21. 21
“In this day and age,
companies have a much
greater responsibility
than the old mantra
to do no evil.”
Melanie Perkins
CEO of Canva

22. 22
In passive avoidance cultures, people lose their voice. Embed
training and tools to take the stress out of difficult conversations.
Don’t assume your
good intentions
are known.
Be direct and
specific. Problem
and solution.
in values and
initiatives, e.g.
an online platform
to raise your voice.
How to make
others feel heard,
understood and seen.
CREATE A CULTURE WHERE
PEOPLE SPEAK UP
BE CRYSTAL
CLEAR
PLAN
AHEAD
EMBED
OPENNESS
ACTIVE
LISTENING

23. 23
“THE SINGLE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN
COMMUNICATION IS THE ILLUSION
THAT IT HAS TAKEN PLACE.”
George Bernard Shaw
23

24. 24
Tyranny #4: Purpose washing
PURPOSE/GREEN/WOKE
WASHING?
WITH BRANDS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS SOCIETAL ISSUES
HOW CAN I GET CREDIT FOR MY BRAND WITHOUT

25. 25
WHEN BRAND COMMUNICATIONS
DON’T MATCH CORPORATE PRACTICE

26. 26
26
“THE WAY TO GAIN A GOOD
REPUTATION IS TO ENDEAVOUR TO
BE WHAT YOU DESIRE TO APPEAR.”
Socrates, 470-399 BC

27. 27
While important to consumers attitudinally,
Forethought research indicates:
Stating that you have environmental,
social and governance policies in advertising
isn’t a major driver of brand choice.
Suggesting ‘virtue signalling’ be left to Corporate Affairs.
say they want brands
to demonstrate their
actual sustainability
record alongside
their commitments.
Sources: Forethought Research and BBC Global
News survey of Australian and global consumers
SIGNALLING VIRTUE, VS.
ACTUALLY BEING GOOD
77%

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28
TRY TREATING ESG LIKE A TANGIBLE
PRODUCT CLAIM AND AVOID:

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Almost 3 in 4 consumers can’t
name a single brand or business they
believe is helping improve social or
environmental issues in Australia.
Source: Who do you believe? Republic of Everyone, Bravery,
Mobium Group
HOW WILL YOU TAKE CREDIT
FOR THE GOOD YOU DO?
BRANDED PROGRAMS
GENERIC

30. 30
IF YOU’RE GOING
TO ‘GRADE YOUR
OWN HOMEWORK’,
DO IT WELL

31. 31
IF YOU HAVE
A GENUINELY
PURPOSEFUL
BRAND IDEA,
USE THE GOOD YOU
DO TO SUPPORT IT

32. 32
BRANDS ARE
NOT ONLY ABOUT
DRIVING CHOICE
OF YOUR BRAND
BUT DRIVING
BETTER CHOICES
FOR THE PLANET
Consumers are looking to brands for guidance,
and education, to help them make better choices.
Sources: BBC Global News survey of Australian and global consumers
Build brand preference by helping
your customers understand what
has the biggest impact, and where
to focus their efforts.
believe brands should
invest in education
about the importance
of sustainability.
83%
agree that brands
should be financing
research for
sustainable practices.
82%

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33
“MAKING SUSTAINABLE
LIVING COMMONPLACE”
reduction of household
food waste over 4 weeks
46%
Behaviour change programs including
weekly Use-up day and ‘Flexipes’ for
most wasted ingredients:

34. 34
A brand idea firmly grounded in core
business practice
Most consumers believe the
main focus of purpose-led
businesses is to make money
and not genuinely make a
difference. Only 11% disagree.
BE UP FRONT
ABOUT THE
MONEY SIDE
OF THINGS
So prove you can do both.
CommBank Consumer Insights Report, 2022.

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Tyranny #5: Being at the mercy of trolls
THERE’S NO POINT TALKING TO
PEOPLE YOU DISAGREE WITH
BECAUSE THEY’LL NEVER
CHANGE THEIR MINDS

36. 36
SOCIAL MEDIA
IS CATCHING
ATTENTION THROUGH
EMOTIONAL EMPATHY
AND OUTRAGE,
DRIVING GREATER
POLARISATION.

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COGNITIVE
EMPATHY
- Raw emotion
- Outrage
- ‘Catching’ others’ emotions
- Polarisation
- Cancel culture
- Burnout
- Critical thinking
- Consideration
- Walking in someone else’s shoes
- A balanced point of view
- Progress
- Coping under pressure
EMOTIONAL
EMPATHY
37
FEELING HAS GOT IN THE WAY
OF CRITICAL THINKING

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Under some f*ked up version
of wokeness, we have decided
that stupid people are a special
interest group who warrant
empathy and latitude re the
damage they levy.
We need to teach our kids the tools
of science: statistics, critical thinking,
and civics… inculcate empathy and
commitment to the commonwealth
in the next generation.
Prof. Scott Galloway, No Mercy No Malice
– blog in the wake of 2021 Capitol attack
ENABLING ‘STUPID'

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As individuals, we disagree about
everything. It’s also how we learn from
one another and make progress.
If you engage people in a thoughtful and
balanced way with reliable information,
checked by parties with differing
worldviews, and if people think their
voice matters, this can prompt them to
reflect and reconsider.
Margaret Heffernan, author of Wilful Blindness
James S. Fishkin, Janet M. Peck Professor of International
Communication and Director, Centre for Deliberative Democracy.
THE POWER OF
GOOD INFORMATION

40. 40
- Changing minds starts with curiosity.
- People we trust can change our minds.
- We listen better to people who aren’t
threatening.
- One-to-one conversations make it much
harder to polarise and stereotype.
- Re-engage detractors in your organisation.
Bring them along the journey with your
employer brand.
CHANGING
MINDS
Restore people’s faith in
organisations or institutions,
whose reputations they are
damaging, to the detriment
of all – themselves included.

41. 41
“OUR MANTRA
WAS IF WE’RE
NOT DEFENDING
THE ELECTORAL
SYSTEM, WHO IS?”
Tom Rogers, Australian Electoral Commissioner.
Systematically countering false claims and
conspiracy theories, and even replying to
high-profile Australians directly, AEC officers
had a 70 – 80% success rate in changing minds.

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APPLY COGNITIVE
EMPATHY
END TYRANNY!
- Supported by facts,
insight and critical
thinking
- A creative research
methodology that gets
to underlying truths
- What’s your unique
inclusion story?
DO WHAT YOU SAY WITH
GOOD BRAND MANAGEMENT
BACK WHAT
YOU BELIEVE
- Use a clear EVP to build
an open, inclusive culture
- Take on misperceptions
and misinformation and
change minds.
- A well-supported brand idea
- Communications audit
- Personas with a nuanced view
of customers and employees
- Updated visual and voice
guidelines.

43. www.principals.com.au
www.principalsbrand.co.nz
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Australia
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Auckland 1010
New Zealand
PLEASE CONTACT
MAKING
BRAND A
FORCE FOR
POSITIVE
CHANGE
Moensie Rossier
Strategy Director
0413 600 751
moensie@principals.com.au