May 02, 2023
Emotional marketing: no doubt you've heard of it. Unconsciously, you probably even engage in it on a regular basis when you apply certain marketing tactics. But have you ever really considered the principle? When you understand the ins and outs of emotional marketing, you can apply them even better, test them and thus find the golden formula that works for your brand. Yes, that's the effort. Because emotional marketing can attract, engage and energize your customers. We explain what it is and how to apply it. Including examples and some interesting statistics.
You can find a lot of different definitions for "Emotional Marketing," but in the end it always comes down to the same thing:
Emotional Marketing
Emotional Marketing is the conscious and thoughtful use of persuasive messages based on recognizable, human emotions to gain a deeper connection with the target audience in order to achieve a particular desired outcome. You want to be noticed, remembered and shared with the target audience. Emphasis is often placed on one specific emotion in order to come across as powerful and unified as possible. For example, it is about fear, anger or joy.
In any case, an emotion strong enough to convince the target audience to take a certain action or to steer a decision in a certain direction. You probably immediately think of emotional videos in television ads, but you can also apply the principle perfectly for social ads or newsletters.
Sounds logical, right? But how exactly does it work? By using emotional marketing, you actually bypass man's evolved rational brain. This is because you're playing right into the "emotional" part of the brain, as part of our mammalian nature. That functioning of the brain is important because it plays a major role in how we process decisions and thoughts.
On the emotional level, we process this fairly automatically and even unconsciously. We don't have to put effort into a decision or action because our emotions respond for us. This is often convenient and stress-free. At the rational level, our conscious thought process kicks in. We use logic and reasoning to consider decisions. This happens consciously and therefore takes longer. Our brain usually reacts emotionally first, then we try to justify it rationally.
If you know that emotions are such a powerful force that they influence your decision-making ability, you soon realize that it is a powerful tool to use as a marketing technique. Just think how it is with yourself. A strong emotion is more likely to stick. If you can't express your emotions right away or deal with them in a certain way, you may feel uncomfortable. Automatically, you create a strong need to get rid of that unpleasant feeling as soon as possible. Time for action, then. It's up to you to steer that action in the right direction with your message.
It goes without saying that emotional marketing brings a lot of benefits. It's about connection and brand recall. But also about an increase in sales or stronger customer loyalty. We explain to you the main benefits.
With emotional marketing, you establish a deeper connection with your target audience. Emotions make people feel more quickly as part of a bigger picture. As a kind of member of a club. And that really only benefits your target audience:
That deeper connection also affects the memorability of your message and brand. Did you know that emotions are connected to your memory? Certain emotionally charged events stick around much longer than messages that don't involve feelings. Consequently, your brand will also stay longer in the memory of your target audience. The next time people feel a certain emotion or experience something that triggers that emotion, your brand is more likely to appear in their minds.
Think of it as a story. In fact, marketing is always storytelling. And good news: the human brain is programmed to recognize stories. By infusing emotions into your marketing tactics, you tell a clear story. And that story just sticks better. Do the test for yourself: how many ads do you remember? And are they mostly ads that focus only on facts and data? The chances are slim. Those loving Christmas campaigns or ads with cute puppies, on the other hand....
Connection and emotion also make you build closer personal relationships. This is true in your personal life, but the same is true in marketing. The higher your emotional involvement, the more open you are to new ideas. In fact, you judge less critically. Your target audience is open to your message, and that's good news for your results.
People tend to take action as quickly as possible in the face of certain emotions, remember? One possible action could be to share your feelings with others. People love to share stories and experiences with others, especially if they feel strongly about them. This can be very positive, or even with negative feelings.
It even goes so far as to encourage people to make a purchase based purely on emotion. As a consumer, you are much more likely to take an action when you are emotionally triggered. In fact, research* shows that ads with an emotional message cause the desired action in 31% of cases. For messages with purely rational content, it is only 16%.
Have you formed a bond with a brand? Then you usually choose that brand over another brand. More so. You often no longer feel the need to try something else. Did you know that you are even more willing to "forgive" such a brand when they make a mistake? Emotions are powerful, that much is certain.
A Statista study shows that consumers with an emotional relationship with a brand have a 306% longer customer lifetime value. Moreover, in 71% of cases, they tend to recommend the brand to others. This compares to 45% of consumers who would recommend a product or brand they have no emotional attachment to. Thus, bonded customers reward you with a certain level of loyalty. By being smart about it, your loyal customer even becomes an ambassador.
So which emotions create the strongest effect? Most importantly, focus on the emotion that is most important to you and that best conveys your message. Still, there are some emotions that just "do it right" when we look at marketing purposes. We list 6 of them.
Boo! Startled? You won't forget that in a hurry. While you obviously don't want to scare your customers away, it's a good emotion to base your message on. Just because your target audience doesn't want to be confronted with fear, they are going to act in a certain way. Fright and fear make us even more inclined to cling to what we know and trust. Your brand becomes the bright spot in a dark world, and that just feels safe.
You can also use fear to convince people to act faster. We're talking about FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Make use of countdown timers or use testimonials to show that you just really have to have a product.
Another powerful emotion is anger. Not because it is so nice, but because it often makes people come to a realization. The realization that something is clearly wrong and that something needs to be done quickly to solve a problem. Thus, this negative emotion still has a positive impact.
You will quickly find in history a number of examples of how anger caused great change. Consider the years of oppression of women and the power of feminism. Or more recently, the Black Lives Matter movement.
Anger encourages you to look toward the future. It creates a sense of direction, control and a clear vision. Not surprisingly, the use of this emotion in marketing is very often successful.
While fear and anger are just avoidable, everyone does seek happiness and well-being. Connecting your brand to these types of joyful emotions creates a comfortable, nice feeling when people interact with your brand. Laughter and joy are very shareable feelings, and that has everything to do with your childhood.
One of the first emotional responses of newborn babies is a smile, usually in response to a smile from the parents. So joy is embedded in our bodies from birth. More than that, our desire for joy increases even more when we can share it with others. Check! No wonder companies have been using it in their marketing strategies for years.
Not only is the search for happiness innate. The sense of belonging and the need for intimacy and relationships are also in our nature. It is one of the strongest motivators for our behavior. Peer pressure, remember? A good way to apply this is through communities to share passions. Likeminded people with similar goals or ways of thinking like to come together to share their opinions and experiences. Research* shows that good news and positive messages are much more likely to be shared on social media. Makes sense, because when someone is happy, we tend to mimic that emotion.
You've probably experienced it before: you see an "offer you can't refuse. You get spoiled, and that's a nice feeling. Of course, because you get more than you actually pay for. Don't panic! It's natural to feel this way. In fact, in our society, it is quite natural to be greedy. And as a marketer, you can only respond to this in the right way.
Just think of all the 1+1 free groceries or all the times you've taken advantage of the following words: 'Limited offer', 'Only a limited number of seats available', 'Only valid for 5 more days'. By including scarcity of time or supply in your message, you stimulate the natural greed that all of us have within us.
Finally, perhaps one of the strongest emotions to use in your marketing campaign: admiration. Do you look up to someone? Are you inspired by something or someone? That encourages you to become a better person yourself, to make the world a better place to live, or simply to take action.
It's safe to say that Always's Like A Girl campaign was a huge success. Chances are small that you have never seen it before. We would therefore like to give you another example.
Ladies know what we're talking about: what does that mean, "like a girl"? That is the question at the heart of this campaign. It soon becomes apparent that (subconsciously or not) this has a negative connotation. Are you angry yet? The message plays directly on your emotions. Exactly what they wanted to achieve, exactly what happens.
Check it out here.
Feeling down? Nike is known for uplifting you with inspiring campaigns. And that's no different for this one. 'Find your greatness' is the slogan. The bottom line is that you need to realize that glory and grandeur is not a given that is only available to the 'lucky few' among us. It is not available only in one special place or in one special person. It is where someone tries to look for it. You are not going to hear a more inspirational message today.
Check it out here.
Not for sensitive viewers! Gaia often uses shocking images and statements to convince you of their message. This is harsh, but effective. So they eagerly use emotional marketing, even at times when you least expect it. Imagine: Christmas market, toast, free glass of bubbly and suddenly you are shown images of the torture technique used to make foie gras. Bye appetite. Chances are very good that you are startled, disgusted even. Exactly the point.
Check it out here.
Can't get enough of emotional marketing? We've compiled some interesting figures for you that you must have seen by 2023.
Bitten by emotions? So are we! We'd love to help put your business on the emotional rails with a tight plan and concrete marketing tactics. Contact us without obligation to discover the possibilities.
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