Alison Hayes
People, Culture, Operations
Mental Health in Marketing—Why Empathy-based Design Matters
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect not just on personal well-being, but also on how our workplaces, products, and messaging affect the mental health of others. In the fast-paced world of marketing, it’s easy to default to data, deadlines, and deliverables. But what if we led with empathy?
An intention to our work at Targa is this:
“I believe in the power of empathy in design and in creating products that not only function, but also delight the humans that interact with them—while also supporting stakeholder goals.”
Sara Tranberg, Art Director, Targa Media
Empathy-based design starts by asking: What does our audience need—not just to convert, but to feel seen, supported, and understood? It considers emotional triggers, cognitive load, accessibility, and the reality that every user is a human first. When marketing materials feel intuitive, inclusive, and emotionally aware, they don’t just sell—they build trust and connection.
For our team, empathy also means designing workflows that support the mental health of our own marketers and creatives. That includes clearer briefs, realistic timelines, space to recover from burnout, and collaborative feedback that builds people up instead of tearing them down.
Mental health in marketing isn’t just a trend. It’s a necessity. And it starts with empathy—both in what we create and how we create it.
Jason’s Take
Just putting a punctuation point on Alison’s insights here. Twenty-five years in visual communication has taught me how empathy-based marketing lets us lead out with heart, and anchor our “advertising” in authenticity. Marketing with heart is not merely a strategy; it’s a philosophy. It’s about transcending the conventional transactional approach and fostering a deeper connection with your audience. By leading with heart, marketers embrace the vulnerability and authenticity that come with genuine human interactions. This approach isn’t about leveraging emotions for manipulation but about understanding and respecting the emotional triggers of your audience. It’s a call to be curious, to listen deeply, and to engage with sincerity.