Consumers who associate a high level of empathy with a brand are 81% more loyal and 46% more likely to recommend the brand further. This is one of the findings of the Mpatiei Index by MullenLowe, conducted in collaboration with Path and iSense Solutions.

Launched on the National Empathy Day, the Empathy Index by MullenLowe is a unique proprietary tool that analyzes the Romanian consumer’s perception of brands, attributing them different levels of empathy. Among the six categories analyzed, the top brands considered empathetic by Romanians are Gerovital (94/100), Nivea (85/100), Napolact (83/100), Kinder (81/100) and Heineken (80/100).

“We live today in a divided society, devoid of empathy. A society going through various stages of hate and sometimes gratuitous criticism. A society in which authorities have proved impotent and people have replaced them with the brands in their daily lives that they expect to solve all the planet’s problems. In this context, we have created the Empathy Index by MullenLowe as a valuable tool for brands in all industries, because it provides them with a concrete, data-driven measure of their relationship with the consumer “said Hortensia Năstase, Vice-President Creative Services, Lowe Group.

The empathetic brand in the Romanian consumer’s vision

According to the Mpatiei by MullenLowe Index, when asked what an empathetic brand is, 25% of Romanians did not know the answer. The other 75% define brand empathy by attributes such as focus on customer needs, social involvement and support for vulnerable communities, care and attachment to the customer, commitment to sustainability, quality, adaptability or openness to genuine dialog with the public.

“If in human-to-human relationships, to feel is the key verb in terms of the perception of empathy, when we talk about empathy in the context of brands, to study, develop and implement an elaborate process based on statistical analysis and in-depth research are the watchwords. The insights we have gleaned from this endeavor show the importance of understanding consumers’ needs and expectations of brands. And one of the most important steps in this process is the ability to accurately calculate, with data and research, the degree of empathy between the brand we are communicating and the consumer who buys it “said Roxana Bleoajă, Head of Path, Lowe Group.

While there is consensus on the traits of an empathetic brand, the study shows that their importance varies by generation. While for Gen X and Gen Y, the main attributes are responsiveness (62%) and trustworthiness (61%), for Gen Z social responsibility ranks at the top of the traits of an empathic brand (61%).

“Younger generations of consumers are increasingly sensitive to how brands relate to them, how they deliver on their promises and strive to understand their needs. A focus on being an ’empathetic’ brand ensures a great chance of effectively connecting with Generation Z, a generation with growing purchasing power and who will soon be making the decisions for the future “, said Traian Năstase, Managing Partner, iSense Solutions.

Empathy in FMCG

In order to get the broadest and most grounded view possible, the pilot study looked at one of the most dynamic, innovative and interactive industries: non-durable consumer products. It looked at the widest possible mix of brands – from local to international brands, from market leaders to niche products, in order to cover the widest possible range of specific consumer situations and needs.

Thus, following a complex, regression analysis, the study identified and quantified the most important pillars that build empathic brand perception in the FMCG industry, which can be replicated across a variety of brands/categories at any point in time. According to the study, the 4 necessary pillars underlying the calculation of empathic perception are: what it does for me, what it does for the environment, what it does for society, how it behaves/ what its principles are.

For the pilot, 30 brands were selected from six sub-categories of the FMCG industry: beer, soft drinks, confectionery, dairy, detergents and home care, cosmetics. The aggregated performance of the brands analyzed indicates an average empathy level of 67/100. However, the perception of empathy varies significantly between sub-categories:

• Soft drinks (50/100): This category has the lowest empathy index, largely due to the highly publicized impact in recent years that the category has on the individual (health), but also on society and nature.
• Sweets (66/100): the degree of empathy felt in this category is very close to the FMCG average, being impacted by the actions that the brands analyzed do for society, but also for nature.
• Detergents and home care (67/100): On this product type, the perception on the level of empathy demonstrated is high on the ‘what does it do for me’ pillar.
• Beer (67/100): As in the previous category, the beer category is in line with the FMCG average. A peculiarity of the role held by each pillar in the category is that it is the shares in the ‘what it does for society’ pillar that manage to compensate for the slightly weaker performance of the ‘what it does for me’ pillar.
• Dairy (70/100): Dairy is the second most empathic category after cosmetics. In this case, the aspects building the societal and nature impact pillars score better than the FMCG average.
• Cosmetics (79/100): Cosmetics is the category with the highest empathy index, scoring up to 10pp more on each pillar considered than the FMCG average.

The Empathy Index by MullenLowe proposes a series of customized actions for each of the categories analyzed that can further improve consumer perception. Medium- and long-term priorities include loyalty programs, environmental actions, support for local communities and clearer and more consumer-centric communication.

Top 5 empathetic brands in FMCG

Among the attributes that propelled the brands Gerovital (94/100), Nivea (85/100), Napolact (83/100), Kinder (81/100) and Heineken (80/100) to the top of the brands considered empathetic by Romanians, the most important are authenticity, involvement in local community issues or support for local producers, environmentally friendly products, contributing to waste reduction and working with other brands to offer the best experiences.

The degree of empathy of a brand is the real lever for increasing performance, the bridge and differentiator between being chosen in a moment and being coveted, appreciated and rewarded forever. And understanding correctly and well-grounded the degree of empathy that the promoted brand projects to consumers is that last piece of the puzzle that can open the door to the most authentic and personal dialog with the target audience.

The study was launched through a creative communications campaign, the Mpatia Collection, which involved the creation of six unique shoe designs, all constructed in a way that metaphorically conveys the concept of empathy and the exercise of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. The project was realized in collaboration with the team of artists at New Folder.

The Mpatiei Index by MullenLowe is based on data collected directly from the consumer, through a quantitative online survey conducted by iSense Solutions, processed qualitatively with the support of Path, the Lowe Group’s unit specialized in data analysis and interpretation. The analysis was conducted with 620 participants aged 18-55, representative of urban areas.

The team that contributed to the creation of the Mpatiei Index by MullenLowe is formed by Andreea Golban, Bianca Dragu, Alexandru Ranete, Silviu Antohe (Creative), Roxana Bleoajă, Denisa Andrei, Anca Iuhas (Data & Strategy), Traian Năstase, Alina Zelezneac (Research), Adrian Radu (Production), Ana Stoica, Ciprian Dumitru, Andrei Bața (Experiential), Anca Duță, Silviu Clinciu, Andra Panaitescu (Client Service), Oana Chiriac (Traffic).

About MullenLowe Romania

For 30 years in Romania, Mullen is an integrated marketing and communications agency, which aims to maintain its entrepreneurial creative mindset and dynamic spirit. The agency positions itself as a challenger to the traditional way of operating in the creative process and adopts a working model based on integration and a holistic perspective on communication.

Mullen’s signature creative product is designed more as a business solution and not just a communication solution in partnership with clients, through creative thinking, media innovation and a customer journey that differentiates our clients’ brand in the intensely competitive landscape.
Mullen Romania is part of the MullenLowe Global international network, one of the largest communications networks worldwide, with over 90 agencies in the Americas, EMEA and APAC, one of the holding companies of the Interpublic Group of Companies. In Romania, the agency is part of the Lowe Group, one of the most important communications groups on the market.

For more information, visit romania.mullenlowe.com, the Mullen Facebook page or the MullenLowe Romania LinkedIn page.

About Path

Path is the Lowe Group’s data analytics and interpretation unit, created in response to the need for businesses to adapt quickly to the speed at which consumer behavior changes. Path integrates an extensive suite of local and international tools and data sources, available across the group’s network of agencies, addressing all communication disciplines.

About iSense Solutions

iSense Solutions – The Modern Consumer Company – uses the most innovative methods to explore and analyze the modern consumer. Founded in 2014, the company offers comprehensive market research services and brings a mix of innovation and efficiency to clients.