Dec 3, 2025
“Your brand needs to connect emotionally with your audience.”
It’s a phrase you’ll hear from brand and marketing strategists everywhere - especially on TikTok - but somewhere along the way, the meaning has been lost in translation.
And misapplied in a way that’s doing more harm than good.
I had somebody land in my DMs last week - they said “I know what marketing IS [insert long list of buzzwords here] but I don’t understand why my content isn’t landing.
And proceeded to hand me a list of lofty aspirations about a very functional product they were selling.
We’re living in an age of abundant information, but little explanation on the implementation of it.
What these founders are struggling with and misunderstanding, is that emotional connection isn’t about turning every product into a lifestyle. It’s about understanding your customer’s state of mind at the point of purchase and meeting them there.
Too many brands are romanticising functional products that don’t need romanticising.
They’re selling a dream where their customer is just looking for a dependable solution.
Emotion isn’t always aspiration — sometimes it’s relief
There’s a difference between aspiration and utility. If you’re selling a high-end handbag or a designer sofa, your audience is probably buying with lifestyle in mind. They want to feel something when they see it in their space or wear it in public and that’s where aspirational messaging has a role to play - helping them picture who they want to be, and how your product supports that vision.
But if you’re selling a product that solves a practical problem — a travel fan, a nightlight, a pack of drawer organisers — the emotional connection comes from something else entirely.
It’s about convenience, peace of mind and etting something ticked off their mental load. The feeling like their life just got a bit easier.
And that’s just as valid.
Overpromising breaks trust
The danger of romanticising the mundane is that you lose credibility. When a founder tries to wrap a functional product in poetic language or exaggerated lifestyle claims, it creates a disconnect between what the customer needs and what they’re being sold.
If I’m shopping for a USB fan for my summer holiday, I don’t want to hear about how it aligns with my self-actualisation journey - I want to know how long the battery lasts when it’s clipped to my son’s fan, whether it’s lightweight and if it’s quiet enough to use on a plane.
When you overreach with your messaging, you’re no longer speaking to the person in front of you - you’re speaking to a hypothetical version of them five steps ahead. That’s not how trust is built.
Start with the why they care, not the story you want to tell
The core of emotional connection is empathy. It’s understanding the motivation behind someone’s purchase and using language that reflects it.
That doesn’t mean stripping all personality from your copy, but it does mean being honest about the role your product plays. If your product is designed to save time, reduce stress, solve a minor (but annoying) problem - that’s the story. That’s the real emotional value.
You don’t need to sell world peace. You just need to sell the benefit that matters.
Key takeaway for founders and marketers:
Not every product needs to be wrapped in aspirational storytelling. Start by understanding what your customer is actually trying to achieve and reflect that in your messaging. Whether it’s functionality, ease, reassurance, or enjoyment, meeting them where they are is how you build a brand that resonates. Let your copy reflect real use, not just imagined ideals.
If you're still figuring out what makes your customer care about your business, book a free discovery call today.