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Celebrating the Human side of Technology
Technology’s cold. Humanity’s warm. Modern brands must focus on the feelings they create not just the functions they facilitate.
At Otherway, we’ve spent the last year helping brands like Motorway and Rocket transform how they show up — not just as platforms or services, but as emotional, culturally connected presences in people’s lives. And what we’re seeing now is a fundamental shift: from sleek and smart to warm and human. From function-first to feeling-first. Because while technology has become frictionless, people haven’t.
Designed to Belong
What unites brands such as Rocket, Motorway, and other humanity-first brands is a deeper belief: that belonging is the most powerful currency a brand can offer. And in an increasingly digitised and fragmented world, helping people feel like they belong isn’t just good ethics. It’s good business.
In 2025 and beyond, technology will keep evolving. Interfaces will keep disappearing. AI will keep accelerating. But the brands that will win won't be the ones who shout the loudest about innovation. They’ll be the ones that make everyone feel like they belong.
From Utility to Empathy
Big important categories are still often dominated by big functional brands. The mortgage industry might be the most telling example of the gap that still exists between utility and empathy. Buying a home is one of the most emotional decisions anyone will ever make — and yet the category has long been built on lead funnels, jargon, and transactional touchpoints. Helpful? Maybe. Human? Not even close. That’s where Rocket saw opportunity. We helped the brand reframe everything — from its tone of voice to its visual identity — creating a more honest and emotional narrative. One that acknowledges the stress, confusion, and hope that defines the home-buying journey. In doing so, Rocket became more than just a mortgage provider. It became a homeownership platform inspiring Americans to own their dream.
Our new work for Motorway also moved the business beyond a purely functional value proposition. Originally designed to make car selling more efficient, the brand has evolved to speak to something bigger: trust. In an era where scams and uncertainty surround peer-to-peer sales, Motorway gives people back a sense of confidence and control — not just by building a better product, but by behaving like a brand that genuinely understands and cares for people.
The Data Doesn’t Lie
This move toward human-centered design isn’t just a creative instinct — it’s a strategic imperative.
* According to McKinsey, 73% of consumers say they’re more likely to engage with brands that use a human-centric approach — prioritising clarity, accessibility, and empathy in their design and communications.
* 64% are more likely to purchase from brands with a clear sense of purpose beyond profit (Forbes).
* And Accenture found that 70% prefer to engage with brands that reflect diversity and inclusivity — a direct call for brands to move beyond the universal and into the specific, the personal.
As our sister agency CultureLab notes, brands no longer compete on product alone — they compete on cultural relevance. And relevance isn’t about trendjacking or jumping on the latest meme. As CultureLab founder Jed Hallam puts it, “Very few brands actually create something which is additive.” (link to recent Culture Lab Creative Review) Real cultural relevance requires more than a viral moment. It demands infrastructure: a clear sense of why you exist, who you serve, and what you bring to the world each and every day.
