- Reading time: 3 mins
- Topics:
- Branding
For the past few weeks, you may have noticed an abundance of heartfelt Valentines’ Day commercials aiming to pull at consumers’ heartstrings and bring them to the point of purchase. This concept of ‘marketing to the heart,’ though, is not exclusive to the sentimental holiday. Companies have used emotional marketing for years to capture the hearts of consumers.
This strategy has been proven successful through a variety of campaigns, including Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches and, more recently, P&G’s Thank You, Mom ad, which kicked off the 2014 Winter Olympics. Triggering consumers’ emotions can be a powerful tool for marketers, and when implemented successfully, it can play a big role in expanding and empowering your brand.
Create a Memorable Brand Experience
Some of the most memorable moments in our lives are those that evoke great emotion. A beautiful wedding ceremony, the birth of a child, or a long-anticipated high school graduation are a few of life’s greatest events that become distinct memories because of their emotional weight. Similarly, when you create a marketing experience that resonates strongly with consumers’ emotions, they are more likely to remember that experience (and hopefully, your brand).
Associate Positive Emotion with Your Brand
When the emotion you portray to your consumers is positively accepted, you can benefit from the association of that emotion with your brand. If your advertisement gives consumers a warm and fuzzy feeling, for instance, your audience may translate that emotion as a universal reaction to your brand, beyond the context of that single ad. The key is to give consumers a reason to have pride in being a user of your product or service.
Get Consumers Talking about Your Brand
It is human nature to want to share experiences with others, especially when that experience causes an emotional response such as laughter or tears. With marketing to the heart, though, it’s important to anticipate your audience’s response to be sure it’s the best one for your goals. When you create an emotional piece, take an outside-in approach to determine how consumers will receive your information. Are they going to react favorably to your message? Will it motivate them to share your content, or learn more about your product? Answering these questions will help you decide how well your message will trigger consumers’ emotions and stimulate the right kind of positive viral reaction.
While Valentine’s is only one day of the year, connecting with consumers’ emotions is important all year round. Marketing to the heart helps spread awareness of your brand in a meaningful and memorable way. A carefully crafted emotional message has the power to engage your consumers, draw them closer to your brand, and even make them loyal, lifelong customers.
