Human First Marketing: Rethinking Strategies in the AI Era

In an age where the average person sees hundreds of ads daily yet recalls only a handful, marketers must shift from transactional tactics to genuine connections. Embracing a human-first mindset ensures strategies resonate on an emotional level, even as AI tools reshape the landscape.

Rediscovering Human Connections in Marketing

Today’s marketing world is awash in data points and automated touches, but the most powerful campaigns still revolve around people. Phil Trigus Evans, CEO of Giraffe Social Media Agency, coined the term “Human First Marketing” to describe an approach that places real humans—not just metrics—at the core of every strategy. Instead of treating consumers like fitting neatly into B2B or B2C boxes, he champions an H2H (Human to Human) perspective. By focusing on what drives individuals—emotions, values, personal challenges—marketers can design campaigns that actually stick.

What is Human First Marketing?

Human First Marketing is the discipline of prioritizing genuine human interactions over solely data-driven, impersonal tactics. It calls on marketers to:

1. Understand emotions behind every decision.
2. Involve customers in co-creating content.
3. Treat team members as storytellers, not just executors.
4. Really listen to feedback rather than push messages.

By reframing every campaign as two humans showcasing value to one another, businesses foster authentic rapport instead of mere transactions.

“Marketing is just one group of humans trying to demonstrate the value they can provide to another group of humans.”
— Phil Trigus Evans

The Role of Data in Human Connections

Data remains a powerful tool—it uncovers patterns in consumer behavior, pinpoints trends, and quantifies engagement. Yet, Phil warns that overreliance on metrics can create a “cascade of blame” culture, where the CMO demands instant ROI, and every touchpoint becomes a performance metric. The natural result? Short-term thinking that overlooks deeper relationship building.

In an omnichannel world, the consumer journey is rarely linear. Someone might discover a brand via an influencer video, skip all ads for weeks, and then revisit a sponsored post that finally prompts a click. By balancing quantitative insights with qualitative empathy—listening to team feedback and customer sentiment—marketers stay attuned to the human stories behind every number.

Navigating the AI Landscape

With AI tools like ChatGPT and automated ad bidding systems gaining traction, marketers may worry that technology will replace genuine human input. Phil clarifies that the real risk is “lazy AI,” where teams simply copy‐and‐paste machine-generated content without editing or adding nuance.

“The future is human plus AI, not human versus AI.”
— Phil Trigus Evans

Instead of resisting AI, businesses should view it as a creative partner. For example, an AI tool can draft a blog outline based on keyword research, but a human editor must infuse it with brand voice, unique anecdotes, and emotional context. Transparency is also key: clearly disclose when AI assists in content creation, just as influencer posts are labeled, to preserve trust.

Avoiding Lazy AI

• Prompt AI with specific brand values and audience insights rather than generic commands.
• Use AI to summarize customer reviews or market research, then iterate with human intuition.
• Incorporate “surprise and delight” touches that only real people can imagine—fun facts, behind-the-scenes stories, or team photos.

The EMPATH Framework: Understanding Your Consumers

A central pillar of Human First Marketing is the EMPATH framework, which replaces superficial customer avatars with a multi-dimensional view of real people. It involves five components:

• E: Emotional Understanding
  Gather reviews, social comments, and support tickets to map feelings like frustration, excitement, or pride.
• M: Market and Trend Research
  Track broader shifts—new regulations, cultural memes, or emerging technologies—that affect customer priorities.
• P: Patterns of Behavior
  Analyze how prospects navigate your site, which pages they revisit, and where they hesitate.
• A: Audience Feedback
  Conduct interviews or polls to hear directly from customers about their needs and perceptions.
• T: Team Feedback
  Tap into sales, customer service, and fulfillment teams to surface recurring questions and pain points.

By weaving these insights into a Human Understanding Map, marketers avoid pigeonholing individuals into rigid boxes. Instead, they craft messages that speak to real aspirations and challenges.

Examples of EMPATH in Action

• A fitness brand used AI to analyze 1,000 customer reviews, uncovering widespread frustration with complicated equipment. They then launched tutorial videos featuring trainers simplifying workouts.
• A B2B software provider surveyed its support team and discovered that clients repeatedly asked about data security. The marketing team responded with an educational webinar series, boosting registration by 45%.[verify]

Case Study: Applying EMPATH in Action

Consider “PureLeaf Organics,” a small skincare startup struggling to gain traction in a crowded market. By following Phil’s EMPATH framework:

1. Emotional Understanding: They combed through 500 online product reviews, discovering customers felt overwhelmed by ingredient lists and guilt over eco-impact.
2. Market and Trend Research: They noted a rising demand for refillable packaging and transparent sourcing stories.
3. Patterns of Behavior: Website analytics showed visitors frequently abandoned carts on the ingredient page.
4. Audience Feedback: A short survey revealed that customers wanted a step-by-step guide to each product’s purpose.
5. Team Feedback: Customer service reps highlighted confusion around product pairing and usage frequency.

Armed with these insights, PureLeaf created a simplified “Skincare Starter” guide video series, added refill subscription options, and reorganized their site navigation. Within three months, conversion rates rose by 28%, and repeat purchase rates increased by 15%.

Rethinking the Traditional Marketing Funnel

The century-old marketing funnel—awareness, interest, consideration, conversion—has become outdated. It assumes gravity pulls prospects smoothly downward, yet modern consumers bounce between channels in what Google calls the “messy middle.” Phil proposes the Pinball Method as a more accurate model:

• Flip the funnel upside down: awareness sits at the bottom.
• Picture marketing tactics—SEO, ads, social, PR—mounted like pinball bumpers.
• Each “booster” propels the consumer upward toward purchase and advocacy, while natural inertia tries to pull them back down.
• The goal is to keep the ball in play, not to trap it at the bottom and call it a day.

This chaotic, non-linear metaphor aligns with real-world behavior. As marketers, designing experiences that repeatedly nudge prospects upward—through helpful content, social proof, and timely reminders—yields stronger engagement than a single-minded funnel push.

Building Brand Advocacy in a Trust Deficit World

Consumers no longer trust faceless corporations by default. Phil emphasizes that brands often start with a “trust deficit” and must earn confidence through transparency and authenticity. Key strategies include:

• Showcasing real team members in social posts and on-site profiles.
• Sharing candid customer success stories and testimonials.
• Creating informal, behind-the-scenes content that humanizes your culture.

In sectors like cybersecurity or HR software, where stakes are high, simply swapping a stock receptionist image for a genuine headshot of your support lead can make customers exhale with relief. As Phil notes, people trust faces more than logos.

Conclusion: Taking Steps Towards Human First Marketing

Integrate these principles gradually. Begin by humanizing a single campaign—feature an employee or customer story, invite feedback, or acknowledge emotional drivers in your copy. Over time, your entire marketing engine will hum with authentic, audience-focused energy.

• Bold Takeaway: Feature a real person in your next ad or social post—team member, customer, or founder—to instantly boost empathy and trust.

How will you bring the human touch back into your marketing strategy this week?