In the world of advertising, logic has always been a strong tool. Maybe an item is at a better price than a competitor’s, or a product offers a clear, measurable benefit. Though this is a tried and true strategy, one approach better matches the very principle most consumers act upon: emotion. Read on to understand the benefits of this approach, as well as some notable campaign examples.
Why Emotion Beats Reason
Irrationality is a widespread feature in humans. Emotions heavily influence our decisions and thoughts. We constantly focus on the present instead of the future. And we can also become strongly inspired or driven to do things by societal pressures. If you need a more immediate example, think about a time when you acted without thinking. That probably happened recently, right?
This irrationality and emotional-based thinking is also present in consumer’s preferences for advertisements. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) collected data from over 1,400 ad campaigns and found that purely emotional campaigns did twice as well as those using rational content; there was a 31% profitability increase for the emotional content as compared to 16% for rational.
On a scientific level, there’s a reason for this. Neuroscience shows that the limbic system (the emotional core of the brain) heavily influences our decisions on who we trust, what we remember, and what we buy. As such, you can better understand why humans are so likely to use emotions in their decision-making processes.
Successful Campaigns
This information has been used by various brands in their campaigns. One of the most well known is Nike’s “Just Do It.” They’re not endorsing any specific product behind that message, or saying an Air Force 1 will make you run 10% faster. Rather, they’re selling “empowerment,” specifically empowering the people who buy their products to do what they find challenging, to feel courage and resilience while doing it.
Another campaign is Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness.” As you can probably tell by its name, this campaign focuses not on selling a specific variation of the beverage, but instead the feeling of “happiness” when you enjoy your favorite Coke product. The tagline itself may make you want to enjoy or share a drink with someone you know, thus finding happiness in social interactions.
One more successful campaign is Disneyland’s “Where Dreams Come True” slogan. This plays on the longstanding associations of the Disney brand with imagination, joy, fun, and wonder. It works especially well in this instance because of its use with the theme park where visitors can actually engage with the defining figures of the brand, like people dressed up in Mickey Mouse and walking by distinct iconography like castles. You’re not being sold anything specific about the park, except for the emotions and feelings you can expect to experience once you’re there.
Reach Out
If you just now feel like you need some help on your next campaign, or you’ve been carefully thinking about it for some time, contact us.
