Effective consumer connection isn’t about generalizing; it’s about understanding. In this article, we’ll break down why most brands fall short on true consumer empathy, and how MLR Consumer&Commerce’s unique approach to persona creation bridges that gap. Learn how our method turns data into deeply personalized insights that power your strategy, align your teams, and drive real, measurable growth—without reliance on gimmicks or shortcuts.

Many CEOs find themselves focusing more on markets and technology rather than their customers. Despite having survived the test of time and being a turnaround case study on leadership from industry giants, consumer centricity often takes a back seat. This article delves into why CEOs must be Chief Consumer Advocates (CCAs), leading the consumer charge from the top down.

In today’s highly competitive market, businesses are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves and drive growth. Yet, despite the clear advantages of a consumer-centric approach, many companies still treat consumer focus as a secondary consideration, often relegating it to the marketing department or customer service teams. This oversight is a critical mistake. To truly succeed and build a sustainable competitive edge, companies must embed consumer strategy at the core of their overall business strategy. By doing so, they can ensure that every decision, from product development to customer interactions, is aligned with the true needs and desires of their consumers.

This second part of a two-part article dives into what it looks like when you get specific about your consumer in your business strategy.

In today’s highly competitive market, businesses are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves and drive growth. Yet, despite the clear advantages of a consumer-centric approach, many companies still treat consumer focus as a secondary consideration, often relegating it to the marketing department or customer service teams. This oversight is a critical mistake. To truly succeed and build a sustainable competitive edge, companies must embed consumer strategy at the core of their overall business strategy. By doing so, they can ensure that every decision, from product development to customer interactions, is aligned with the true needs and desires of their consumers.

This first part of a two-part article explores why integrating consumer strategy into the heart of your business strategy is not just beneficial, but essential for long-term success.

So many corporate strategy documents cite some sort of consumer centricity objective or transformation. They consider their personalization efforts – putting the consumer’s name on a product or email, or carrying out an NPS survey, or integrating a fancy CRM platform what’s necessary to take do the trick. Yet, these same companies make decisions that go against the consumer on a daily basis. So, can we really consider them consumer centric?