Empathy‐based Marketing

Empathy, that is, the capacity of understanding another person's perspective and feelings, has conventionally been a pillar of marketing, as the discipline from its very inception has emphasized the importance of understanding and putting oneself in the shoes of customers. Yet, with an increasing focus on rationality, objectivity, and science, marketing has arguably become more empathy‐deprived. This is unfortunate, as the increasing objectification, specialization, and the resultant distancing and fragmentation of the marketing field make it proportionally essential to emphasize an empathetic approach to marketing. Here, I address this gap by (re)introducing an empathetic approach to marketing entitled empathy‐based marketing. Empathy‐based marketing addresses the increasing customer‐distancing and subdivision of the field of marketing, by focusing on an empathetic core, stimulating cross‐fertilization, and accentuating the general well‐being of the field. Beyond discussing what this paradigm is and why the field needs it, an agenda for future research is also outlined.