Empathy: The New currency of Brand Connection

In a country as diverse and dynamic as India, the ability to truly understand people goes far beyond reading data or tracking trends - it requires empathy. Not the warm-and-fuzzy kind we often relegate to personal relationships, but the sharp, insight-driven empathy that connects brands to lives, cultures, and aspirations in a meaningful way.

The latest paper from Ipsos Global, Empathy: The New Currency of Brand Connection, shows why empathy is no longer a “soft skill” but a strategic business advantage. Globally, empathetic ideas reflecting people’s identities, emotions, or values are 79% more likely to drive brand choice. In India, the case is even stronger: 79% of consumers here say they tend to buy brands that reflect their personal values, higher than in most other markets. In a hyper-competitive environment where consumers are spoilt for choice, empathy is emerging as the currency that builds both brand closeness and commercial impact.

For Indian marketers, this means thinking beyond product benefits to cultural resonance. Whether it’s a small-town consumer navigating the aspirations of upward mobility, a millennial balancing tradition with modernity, or Gen Z shaping new definitions of identity, empathy must be tailored and not templated. The data is clear: empathy is NOT one-size-fits-all, and its expression must reflect the nuances of India’s languages, festivals, family structures, and even the pace of life across regions.

Recent campaigns show how empathy fuels relevance. From Cadbury’s ability to insert itself seamlessly into personal celebrations to brands reimagining packaging for accessibility, empathetic moves are helping companies embed themselves into the rhythms of Indian life. And as AI and automation rise, empathy becomes the distinct human differentiator, something no algorithm can replicate with cultural and emotional precision.

Empathy pays back. Ipsos’ global Brand Value Creator analysis reveals that people are willing to spend seven times more on brands they love. In India’s growth-driven market, that can mean the difference between being just another name in the category and becoming a cultural icon.

Now is the moment to act. As you read this paper from Ipsos, reflect on how your brand can go beyond understanding Indian consumers to genuinely champion their values, support their daily realities, and be present in moments that matter. Start integrating empathy into your strategy today, test it in your creative and product innovations, and measure its impact. In a marketplace as vibrant and complex as ours, empathy isn’t just good marketing - it’s a decisive competitive advantage. The brands that lead with empathy will be the ones India remembers and rewards.

For more details, reach out to discuss how to induce Empathy in your brand and strengthen consumer connect.