For Media Marketing, interview conducted by Lenja Faraguna, in the interview series: “Marketers of the Future”
In a part of the industry defined by performance, speed, and measurability, empathy is often seen as something secondary, almost contrary to the logic of optimization. As if understanding people comes only after goals, budgets, and KPIs have been set.
The conversation with Sašo Palčič, CEO of Madwise agency, shifts that perspective. Here, empathy is not introduced as a correction to the existing model, but as its starting point, something that determines how questions are asked, how communication is built, and how decisions are made.
Within this approach, performance marketing stops being purely a numbers game and becomes a space where understanding the customer directly impacts effectiveness. Not as an added value, but as a prerequisite for communication to function at all.
This is where a broader question emerges, one that the interview subtly raises: can marketing truly be effective if it does not understand the people it speaks to?
How do you understand and use empathy in your work as CEO of a performance marketing agency?
I understand empathy as a key component of good leadership and good marketing. As a CEO, I mainly use it by listening. I don’t assume that I know what someone thinks or feels. I always try to create a space where people can say things, sometimes even those that are not easy to hear. To me, empathy is a kind of courageous ability to be present, both when things are good and when they are difficult. With as few personal projections and as little avoidance as possible.
How does empathy influence campaign creation?
Empathy is the foundation for understanding the customer. Without it, we do marketing from ourselves, not for them. When you truly understand how someone feels, what troubles them, and what they want, you can create a campaign that has impact. In practice, empathy also means knowing how to ask the right questions. That way, you don’t jump straight into “sales mode” in communication. Instead, you build a bridge between the brand and the customer and develop a long-term relationship and trust.
Do you think good content is even possible without empathy? Why (not)?
You can write a good text without empathy. But it won’t create a relationship with the person reading it. Empathy in content means being in touch with another person’s reality. It means being able, in just a few words, to capture something they feel but may not be able to describe themselves.
What happens when clients want “hard sell”? How do you help them recognize the power of empathy rather than manipulation?
This is quite a common situation, usually driven by fear. In such cases, we try to explain to the client the power of branding and the relationship that is essential for the sustainable development of a brand. It’s important to explain that we need to first show the customer that we understand them. This is, of course, better in the long run than an immediate click.
Empathy is not the opposite of effectiveness. In fact, it is its prerequisite.
How do you choose language and tone of voice, and how do you ensure you are addressing a person, not just a target group?
We start with research. The key questions are: who is our customer, how do they think, what are they afraid of? When you know and understand this, you can write in a voice that is not “sales-driven”, but human. After that, we continue testing, listening to responses, adapting and optimizing.
Do you have an example of a campaign where empathy made the biggest difference?
I remember a campaign for adult education that was originally designed in a more product-oriented way. But when we observed the market, we saw that what people felt most strongly was the sense of falling behind and having “unfinished debts”. We shifted the communication focus to this emotional aspect and initiated open conversations, not just sales. The campaign then exceeded the set KPIs.
How do you treat empathy within your team (and in relationships with clients)? Do you have internal rituals, reflections, conversations that you also “apply” with clients?
We have quite a few such rituals. Twice a month, for example, we have a “retrospective”. The whole company joins a Zoom call where we write everything that’s on our minds into a Miro board (what didn’t work in the past weeks, what went well, who we would like to praise…). Afterwards, we discuss the written content and resolve any issues that were raised.
Another similar practice is our monthly all-hands meeting, which is not just a status update, but also a space for connection and discussion. I also meet 1:1 with each team member once a month, where there is space for everyone to express themselves and share anything that might be on their mind or suggest improvements. I believe psychological safety is one of the most important components of an effective marketing team, which is why many of our activities and meetings are directed toward that goal. Cultivating a sense of psychological safety and the ability to listen to each other with empathy. The relationships we build within our teams naturally transfer into relationships with our clients. It is extremely important for us to understand the client on the other side, to truly hear them, and to collaborate proactively and with mutual respect.
Where do you see the biggest challenges regarding empathy in agency work? And the biggest opportunities?
The challenge is speed. Agencies are often under pressure from results and time constraints, which sometimes puts empathetic communication to the test.
The opportunity lies in using empathy to distinguish average from exceptional. To become partners to our clients, rather than just executors.
What is something you believed about empathy five years ago (in marketing and leadership), but today you know you were wrong about?
Hmm… this really made me think… :) Maybe I thought empathy was more of a trait than a skill. Today I know that in this fast, capitalistically driven world, empathy doesn’t come naturally, but is something we need to learn and cultivate within ourselves. I also used to jump more quickly to conclusions, thinking I knew what someone thought or how they felt. Today, I ask more questions.
