Forget “Relatable.” Aim for Resonance.

By Jason Bellue | Experience Vault | Flying House Media

In healthcare marketing, “relatable” has become the safe word.✅ Relatable patient stories.✅ Relatable visuals.✅ Relatable campaigns.

But here’s the problem: relatable is surface-level. Resonance is where the real impact lives.

Relatable vs. Resonant

Relatable is recognition.

• “I’ve felt tired before.”

• “I know what it’s like to be frustrated.”

• “That looks like me.”

Resonance is transformation.

• “This story moved me.”

• “This feels exactly like what I couldn’t put into words.”

• “I’ll remember this tomorrow.”

Relatable campaigns make you nod. Resonant campaigns make you feel.

Why Resonance Matters in Pharma

Your audience isn’t short on information. They’re flooded with it — data points, graphs, symptom lists.

What cuts through isn’t more information. It’s emotion.

When your story resonates, it does three things:

1. Builds trust — because people feel seen.

2. Drives action — because emotions move behavior faster than facts.

3. Creates memory — because resonance sticks long after the campaign ends.

The Shift Marketers Need to Make

Instead of asking: “Will people relate to this?”Ask: “Will this leave an echo in their mind?”

That’s the difference between a safe, forgettable campaign and one that creates lasting connection.

The Takeaway

Relatable content passes in the moment. Resonant content lives in the heart.If you want to change minds — and lives — don’t stop at relatability. Aim for resonance.