Meet Michelle, a typical Empathiser
Michelle lives in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, and is a busy mum of three. She is married to John, and they are both from the local area originally. Their eldest daughter started secondary school this year; their other daughter is nine; and their youngest – a boy – is seven. The family lives in a housing estate on the outskirts of Clonmel.
Before having children, Michelle worked fulltime as a primary-school teacher. She took a career break when her kids were younger but, now that they’re all in school themselves, she has started doing some substitute teaching, working approximately two days per week, on average. On the days when she’s not working, Michelle picks the two younger kids up from school and brings them to a local playground. While they run around, she chats with the other parents (mostly mothers!).
At weekends, she and John have a hectic schedule, driving all three children around to various sports activities. The whole family are heavily involved in their local GAA Club and they all take part in the Club’s annual ‘Fun Run’ fundraiser. They are also ardent supporters of the Tipp hurling and football teams, and travel to watch the teams play whenever they can.
Both Michelle’s and John’s parents are elderly, and live locally. Michelle spends a considerable amount of time each week checking on them and running errands for them. Once a month, she attends her Book Club, which is comprised of women of a similar age and profile to Michelle herself. Michelle and John go out together a couple of times each month – to their local pub or a restaurant in Clonmel. She also goes for a weekly walk with her two best friends.
The family buy their local newspaper, The Nationalist, every week because the kids often feature in photographs and reports of local sporting events. Michelle can’t remember when she last bought a national paper. When she’s driving, she has the radio on in the background, flicking between Newstalk, RTÉ Radio One and Today FM. In her parents’ house and John’s parents’ house, the radios are always on, and usually tuned to Tipp FM.
Michelle is on Facebook and uses the platform to keep in touch with her brother and his family, who live in Australia. She is on Instagram too, but posts very little herself. She follows lots of celebrities, fashion brands, and people who share parenting advice. She wants to do up her kitchen, so is also following lots of interiors-focused accounts.
When they were in their early 20s, Michelle and John spent a year working in Australia. On their way back to Ireland, they travelled for a couple of months, visiting countries across South-East Asia. She would love to do more ‘exciting’ international travel but, for now, they usually choose family-friendly holidays in Portugal or Spain.
Michelle sometimes donates to international development charities, particularly in response to catastrophic events, such as earthquakes or floods. Most recently, she donated €50 to help children in Gaza. She feels she has no time to get more involved in international development or other volunteering activities, and – while relatively comfortable – she does not have a lot of money to donate to charitable organisations.
Quick Look:
Where do we find Michelle?
At the local school gates, maybe working in the school, on the side of a GAA pitch, at the local playground and park, at her monthly Book Club, out for a night in a local pub or restaurant, in the supermarket, at the GP or pharmacy.
What influences Aoife?
Her husband and family, her two best friends and wider friend circle, parents in her community, her parents and in-laws, The Nationalist, Newstalk, Today FM, Tipp FM, Instagram influencers and ads, Facebook posts and ads.
Avenues for engagement
Empathisers are more influenced than other segments by celebrities and influencers, and are less influenced by newspapers and radio news than the others. The fact she travels could be relevant – both for advertising targets and for tapping into her desire to see more of the world and making the link with the countries she travelled to in her 20s. Centre messaging around families and children. Avoid overly bleak or graphic imagery and overloading her with facts or policy detail when targeting the Empathiser.
Messaging Recommendations to reach Empathisers ike Michelle
It’s important to note that Empathisers are more influenced than all other segments by celebrities/influencers, and they are less influenced than all other segments by newspapers and radio news (either traditional or online). The fact that she travels could be relevant – both for advertising targets and for tapping into her desire to be more adventurous / see more of the world, and/or linking with the countries she travelled to in her 20s.)
Messaging that may resonate with Michelle: Michelle may subconsciously be asking: “What would this mean for my own children if this were happening here?”. Frame overseas development through:
- Centring it on children and families.
- Making it feel personal and human, not institutional.
- Creating a sense of shared parenthood across borders.
- Connecting global crises to everyday family life.
- Use warm, compassionate, plain language.
- Use short, emotionally clear stories.
- Use everyday comparisons (“a child the same age as your son”)
- “Here’s what your support helped achieve”
We should avoid overly bleak or graphic imagery and overloading her with facts or policy detail when targeting the Empathiser.
Explore Michelle’s narrative more below.
