In today’s fast-paced world, grasping consumers’ attention and loyalty is no easy feat. That’s why many brands are forgoing traditional marketing strategies that focus solely on product features and their benefits in favor of connecting with their audiences on a deeper level. As a result, the industry has experienced a shift towards emotional marketing, which leverages emotional triggers to appeal to consumers’ primal wants and needs.
Keep reading to find out how emotional marketing can benefit your business.
1. Audience Engagement
First and foremost customers want content to be engaging. It’s the central component of market research. You discover who your target audience is, and base your adverts on that. Being able to engage your viewership with content that captivates and seizes people’s attention will help them connect to your business.
For example, a booming industry such as online gambling has gained the custom of millions of bettors worldwide because they’ve engaged with their audiences across different jurisdictions. So, what might appeal to a punter in the UK, might not quite cut it to an Aussie looking for a no deposit bonus casino down under. But chances are the best ones for Aussies are listed here: https://www.casinoshortlist.net/bonuses/no-deposit-casinos.asp
And, when a customer experiences that emotional feeling and connection to your brand and product, there’s a greater chance to convert that site visitor into a customer.
2. Brand Awareness
Ads are no longer restricted to just their allotted air time; thanks to the advent of social media, they have a much longer shelf life, making their return on investment greater than ever before. While this type of exposure may not necessarily translate into sales, ads crafted with true emotion can generate powerful responses from audiences, causing them to be discussed all over the media, streamed on YouTube, and shared among friends.
Take John Lewis, for example. The English department store managed to successfully change their brand perception as a premium luxury store through a slew of Christmas ads, attracting a new kind of audience by making their store appear more accessible. That’s right, the retailer has managed to capture lived experiences through powerful storytelling, capitalizing on the heightened emotions during the festive period.
The brand’s first foray into emotional storytelling was back in 2011 with ‘The Long Wait.’ The ad represented a different approach to Christmas advertising, stepping away from festive stereotypes by imploring a fantastic narrative twist. The ad depicts a child anxiously awaiting the arrival of Christmas morning, curating a familiar atmosphere we all know too well.
However, once Christmas morning approaches, the child is not rushing to open his own presents but rather to give his parents their Christmas gift. The inclusion of the somber Smith’s song as the soundtrack throughout the ad is just the cherry on the emotional cake.
3. Loyalty
Marketers cannot afford to downplay the impact emotions have on consumers’ decision-making. Not only can emotional marketing drive consumers to purchase the advertised product or service, but it can also play a significant role in building and nurturing customer loyalty. By eliciting powerful emotional responses such as nostalgia, happiness, empathy, and joy, marketers can forge deep connections with consumers that go far beyond the transactional level.
Emotional marketing also allows brands to showcase their personalities and values, establishing trust and formulating a strong bond with audiences. In fact, research has shown that consumers who feel emotionally connected to a brand are more likely to develop a sense of brand loyalty. Moreover, customers are more drawn to brands that appear to share their same values and aspirations, as this makes them feel seen and heard.
Happiness is one of the most commonly used emotions in advertising, thanks to people’s innate desire to spread positivity. Budweiser’s short film ‘Fathers Who Stepped Up’, took a unique approach to traditional Father’s Day marketing strategies by sharing true stories of stepchildren celebrating the men in their lives who became their father figures. The ad successfully managed to pull at our heartstrings while also reminding audiences of what the Budweiser brand stands for through a beautiful representation of love.
Final Thoughts
Emotional advertising is a powerful tool that all marketers should use to stay ahead in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace. It can help brands to establish deeper connections with their audiences, formulating a sense of trust and loyalty by creating unique and memorable experiences. Most important of all when done right, emotional marketing can help cut through the noise, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of consumers.
