When a customer makes a purchase, they are influenced by both rational and emotional factors. This is why effective advertising should appeal to both of these aspects. However, depending on your target audience, some strategies are better suited to appeal to one or the other. Below, we will discuss the benefits of emotional advertising and how it can help your company achieve its marketing goals.
Emotional advertising appeals to people's emotions in order to connect with them and persuade them to take action. This type of advertising often uses symbolism and imagery to evoke a feeling rather than focusing on the factual details of the products or services being advertised.
When consumers feel an emotional connection to a brand, they are more likely to remember it, buy its products, and recommend it to others.
In this type of campaign, the product or service would not be the campaign's protagonist. Instead, the focus would be on the sensations or feelings that you want viewers to experience.
Neuromarketing is the discipline that studies the different types of advertising techniques that fall within emotional advertising.
There are 5 characteristics that define emotional advertising:
Advertising often appeals in both rational and emotional ways. But this is not always the case; emotional advertising focuses only on the latter and is used by brands that have found that this type of focus is what works best to boost their sales. If this is the case for your company, here are some tips to help you successfully implement this type of advertising.
In any marketing strategy, the first step is to understand your customers. This includes understanding their demographics, psychographics, and needs. It is also important to understand your customers' emotions. What makes them happy? What makes them sad? What are their concerns? What are their hopes and dreams? Once you understand your customers' emotions, you can tailor your advertising to appeal to them.
This type of advertising is not about manipulating consumers to push them to buy your products or services. It’s about creating real and lasting connections with your target audience. To do this, your advertising must be authentic. Your message should represent your brand's values and be honest. If your customers perceive your advertising as empty or manipulative, they will not be persuaded.
Inspirational messages are very powerful in emotional advertising. They can motivate your audience to take action and achieve their goals. Sports brands, such as Nike, Adidas, or Reebok, are often very good at using inspiration in their advertising. For example, Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign is a classic example of inspirational advertising. This campaign has inspired millions of people worldwide to get active and pursue their dreams.
The feeling of community or belonging to a group is very impactful for human beings. It makes us feel connected, supported, and valued. For this reason, brands often use this feeling of togetherness in their emotional advertising strategy. For example, many brands use social media to create a sense of community around their products or services.
The most effective emotional advertising is the one that tells a story. Stories engage our emotions and helps us connect with the characters and the message. When we see a story unfold, we empathize with the characters and want them to succeed. For example, Apple's "Think Different" campaign tells the stories of famous people who challenged the status quo, using striking visuals and Steve Jobs as the narrator. The use of Steve Jobs was a huge success in terms of his connection with consumers on a personal level.
This is very effective in emotional advertising since visuals and music can help to create a mood and atmosphere. When these elements are used together, they can create a powerful and memorable experience for the viewer.
The beer brand Estrella Damm’s “Mediterranean Moments” campaign tells the story of friends who enjoy the summer together. The campaign uses beautiful visuals of the Mediterranean Sea and the surrounding countryside to create a sense of nostalgia and longing for the carefree days of summer.
Coca-Cola's advertising is a classic example of emotional advertising. The brand’s ads are often heartwarming and nostalgic, always focusing on the positive emotions of drinking Coca-Cola. For example, the campaign “Share a Coke” campaign was a huge success because it tapped into the feeling of connection and community.
The giant beauty brand has used real women in its advertising to challenge traditional beauty standards. Dove’s ads often feature women of all shapes, sizes, and colors and celebrate real women's beauty. For example, Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketchers” ad was a huge success because it changed how women view themselves.