Emotional Marketing: Reaching The Customer’s Heart
Many people think that the decisions we make are based on a rational analysis of the alternatives that are presented to us. The truth is that, on many occasions, our most emotional part influences us to the point of practically deciding for us.
In his book, “Descartes’ Error,” Antonio Damasio argues that “emotion is a necessary ingredient in almost all the decisions we make.” When we are faced with a decision, emotions from previous experiences set values for the options we are considering. These emotions, therefore, create preferences that lead us to opt for one option or another.
Emotional marketing: emotions in the decisions we make
Damasio’s vision is based on his studies on people who had damaged brain area of emotions These people were capable of processing rational information related to the different alternatives, but they were incapable of making decisions because they lacked an emotional anchor towards the options about which they had to decide.
The importance of the brand when choosing
Currently, brands are looking for strategies to build loyalty to its clients, as well as capturing the attention of new consumers to generate lasting relationships over time. It’s not about just buying the product, but about feeling the brand as yours. Surely we all have acquaintances who want to buy the iPhone 7 before it goes on sale. Successful companies create expectations in individuals and generate emotions through experiences. Thus, they seduce consumers by making their business stories and reaching their hearts. By generating closeness with the potential customer efficiently, your chances of selling your products increase. This is what is known as emotional branding or “make a mark “.
In his book “Emotional Branding: the new paradigm for connecting brands emotionally,” Marc Gobé explains: “Emotional branding is the conduit through which people subliminally connect with companies and their products in an emotionally deep way. The innovation of Sony, the sensual elegance of Gucci, the insatiable glamor of Vogue, reach us emotionally, awakening our imagination and promising us new realms.” Another example could be Nike, which associates its products with great sports stars, hoping to transfer the athlete’s emotional attachment to the brand or product to the customer. All these brands have an associated image that generates emotions in customers.
Branding is not just about coming up with a logo, a name or the use of certain colors. A brand involves the creation of a identity of a personality, the creation and promotion of certain values that make it desirable from an emotional point of view.
Emotional advertising: selling emotions
He branding It is just an example of how we intend to reach the consumer through the generation of emotional relationships. But the concept of emotional marketing not only includes branding through emotions, but also involves generating feelings in your products or making the brand visible. This is achieved with advertising, which is a point of contact with the customer. Examples of advertising are: the retail environment, the merchandising, the company buildings, the digital environment or advertisements in the media. The ideal is that the creation of a brand and its management should start from branding and be projected through advertising.
Given the emergence of emotional marketing, advertising based on highlighting the benefits of what is intended to be sold is left behind, since today almost all products offer similar advantages. For this reason, the proliferation of emotional advertising highlighting above all values associated with the desires, desires and internal aspirations of potential consumers.
What emotional marketing strategies propose is that to leave a mark on the consumer, stimulating networks based on pleasure and well-being must be provided, accompanying the individual in special and unique moments and situations, or provoking emotional reactions of guilt to through unpleasant emotions. For the neurologist Donal Caine “The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion incites action , while reason only leads to conclusions.” That is to say, the human being is an emotional being, which is transferred to his purchasing decisions. The more intense the emotion (positive or negative) that is associated with the product or brand, the deeper the neurological connection achieved in the brain of the potential consumer.
That is why advertising campaigns reinforce this association between neural networks, since they are what ultimately motivate the impulsive purchase of certain products. An ad can make you feel more attractive, more sophisticated or, on the contrary, it can make you feel guilty so that you leave money for charity. Through the brand, you can come to believe that you are a tough guy because you drink Jack Daniels or you drive a harley davidson.
The use of happiness in times of crisis
The above companies know captivate the client through the 5 senses. By transmitting emotions and feelings, these companies have created a special connection with the customer and have made their products have a special meaning for them.
One of the companies that has best used emotional marketing is Coca-Cola. This soft drink does not seduce by offering carbonated water full of sugars and dyes, instead, it sells happiness. It’s funny how a soft drink that could easily be associated with obesity ends up becoming synonymous with feeling “happy.” As if that were not enough, in its “Share Happiness” campaign, it placed dozens of names on its containers and cans, with the aim of letting people know that this product had been created specifically for them.
He also created “the happiness ATM.” An ATM that could look like any other bank, but in reality, it was an ATM where people took out €100 for free with the only condition of sharing it with someone. You already know: in times of crisis, happiness sells
