Broadcasting Emotion: Where Empathy Meets Impact.

Sparking emotion in an audience – whether that’s connection, compassion, outrage, or hope – inspires deep engagement. What’s more, creating shareable and memorable moments helps a story go viral (which can only support the cause when done right!). When empathy meets impact, you don’t only move people, you can ignite change. 

But whilst emotion and authenticity are essential to unlocking national (and even international) broadcast coverage, some stories need more than airtime. They need care. 

This is because the stakes are high. Missteps can turn a meaningful story into an underwhelming one, or appear tone-deaf or cynical; issues that cloud the important messages and real-world problems that drive the campaign. Here’s how to get it right. 

One: Centre real-world experience

Forget generalisations. In many campaigns, it’s far more powerful to begin with someone’s lived experience – allowing their individual story to become the gateway to wider relevance. 

This person-centred approach is also a compelling way to frame hard data and expert opinion. Statistics can feel remote, even if they are stark or shocking. Audiences often need someone to relate to for a message to truly resonate. 

Take Margot’s story. Baby Margot was born without eyes due to the rare condition Anophthalmia. When Margot, her parents and Guide Dog’s Senior Habilitation Specialist Kate Reed appeared on BBC Breakfast, the family’s story stood out as a beacon of hope and resilience. Rather than simply stating the importance of Guide Dogs’ support, centring Margot demonstrated the real, emotional impact of that work.

This personal experience can also come from brand voices. Suki Sandhu is a Trustee for the Brain Tumour Charity, and when a new brain tumour treatment was approved by the NHS, she was brave enough to talk about her son Raj, who sadly passed away at 8 years old. By sharing Raj’s story, Suki Sandhu brought home what the new medication could do for thousands of children and their families. 

Takeaway: Stories resonate most when shaped around those who’ve lived them. Their connection creates emotional truth that can’t be faked or co-opted.

Watch out: Avoid exploiting hardship or trauma in an attempt to strengthen a weak message – relevance is everything. It’s also important to be wary of using “inspirational” stories to sidestep systemic issues. Brands can attract negative attention if they flatten complex issues into feel-good soundbites. 

Two: Uplift people’s voices

Unfiltered authenticity, lived experience, and emotional truth connect with audiences. Stories often resonate most when told by those people who are at the heart of them. 

We worked on a meaningful example for March of the Living in Poland. Here, we conducted and filmed interviews with survivors of the Holocaust, who were making what was likely to be one of their last journeys. This was part of a campaign called #PassingTheTorch, where survivors talked about their experiences to ensure later generations could carry their stories forward.

This was a particularly powerful campaign that we are proud to have been a part of. Navigating stories like this requires profound sensitivity, but uplifting people’s voices doesn’t only make a short-term impact – it safeguards their legacy, amplifies their truth, and ensures their experiences continue to shape conversations and inspire change long after the moment has passed.

Takeaway: Let people tell their own stories. Don’t position them as helpless or objects of pity, but masters of their own narratives – giving them the tools they need to speak with strength and dignity rather than crowding out their voice with sign-off-by-committee messaging. 

Watch out: We understand that every PR wants to prepare and reduce risk, but be careful of overproducing or overly scripting. People need the room to be sincere and heartfelt. 

Three: Use celebrity voices with an authentic link to the story

You don’t have to speak to “the man on the street” to get an authentic story. Celebrities can strengthen your campaign if they have a real connection to the subject at hand. 

For example, we worked with Beverly Knight MBE during HIV Testing Week for the Terrance Higgins Trust. Tragically, Beverly lost a best friend to AIDS, whom she had helped care for during his illness. Her candid appearances on Good Morning Britain and LBC News helped Terrance Higgins Trust to raise awareness of the 4,700 people living with undiagnosed HIV in England, and both the availability and importance of home-testing. 

Similarly, Rio Ferdinand brought relatability and personal experience to McDonald’s ‘The Meal’ campaign. Focusing on the vital issue of childhood mental health, Rio discussed his family’s difficulties in living with bereavement and the importance of giving children the space they need to talk about their feelings. 

Takeaway: Celebrities aren’t just public figures, they’re people with relatable experiences and personal passions. 

Watch out: Let them elevate, not dominate, a story. Brief carefully (even those personally affected by an issue may not be au fait with certain sensitivities). Ensure that using a celebrity voice won’t shift focus away from those most affected.

Four: Don’t neglect visual storytelling 

Broadcast is a visual medium, and interviews and b-roll can add new layers of meaning. From RBLI’s emotive VE Day campaign (which combined interviews, b-roll and a striking sculpture to honour the past and raise vital funds) to RNIB’s Mother’s Day film (that revealed a mother’s blindness only at the end to challenge perceptions), authentic storytelling enriched by thoughtful visuals both deepen the narrative and create shareable moments that last beyond the broadcast.

Takeaway: It may be a cliche, but it stands true – “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Help journalists tell their stories with visuals, and not only are they more likely to cover you, but that coverage will land with more impact. 

Watch out: Overly rehearsed or unrealistic footage won’t help you, and the same is true of overbranding. Visuals should appear neutral, unfold naturally and support rather than lead the message.

Five: Hooks capture attention, human experience resonates

A campaign might have a great hook, but is it rooted in something real? If you want to be memorable, get to the heart of your story. 

One award-winning example is 02’s fantastic work in creating DAIsy – an AI granny designed to waste the time of scammers and keep them away from real people. Now, this story is plenty interesting in itself, but the campaign tugged at something deeper: everyone loves their gran, and wants them to be protected, and scams have heartbreaking consequences. 

This messaging was strengthened further with the inclusion of Love Island’s Amy Hart, who spoke bravely about her own experience of fraud. People affected by scams can fear the stigma and victim-blaming that sometimes accompanies the subject, and Amy’s testimony served not only to lay out the emotional harm of fraud but demonstrate that anyone can be affected. 

Takeaway: This campaign is one of the most lauded of the year. Thinking beyond the headline and taking a layered approach ensured the story hit on all the right levels. 

Watch out: If a hook feels gimmicky, the broader message might be lost. Balance intrigue with depth by anchoring the hook in impact.

When you’re dealing with sensitive subjects, you need a partner you can trust. Want to get to the heart of broadcast? Speak to our team.