Why does one white T-shirt seem luxurious, the other extravagant, and yet another simple and modest? Real differences between products are often contractual. Increasingly, they distinguish themselves from each other through emotional branding. You can find examples of such an emotional brand image below.
Researchers have noticed some time ago that the satiated societies of the West are rarely guided by real life needs when shopping. It is not the satisfaction of hunger or thirst, the need to cover or warm yourself that is the impulse to spend money. Since the majority of the inhabitants of these countries do not complain about the fact that their basic needs are not met, their shopping is based on something else. Often - with emotions.
What is emotional branding?
The fact that the definition was indirectly formulated only in 2004 by the director of the Saatchi & Saatchi agency may prove that emotional branding is a fairly new phenomenon. His Lovemark theory is that a brand should evoke respect and adoration. Thanks to this, it will go to the hearts of customers, and thus - it will control their wallets. In short, it can be said that it is about inducing emotional motivation in clients.
Emotional branding allows you to largely skip the stage of analyzing the client's needs. Whether he needs a drink or food becomes irrelevant when it comes to emotions. They can control customer behavior.
The authors of the work "Measuring Emotion — Lovemarks, The Future BeyondBrands”Made an interesting discovery. They claim that, depending on the product category, emotions are responsible for as much as 63-85 percent. purchasing decisions made - more often than the practical aspects.
How to use emotions to increase sales?
Emotional branding allows you to transfer warm emotions from people to items or services. It consists mainly of communication strategy and suitable marketing concept brand. Branding is also important - the colors or slogans used.
The creator of the Lovemark idea himself pointed out that the easiest way to branding emotional is to hit the senses of customers. This may sound complicated, but it really isn't. Everyone comes into contact with these types of techniques during the day. The relaxing aroma of freshly baked bread in a cafe or the smell of expensive perfume in a clothing store stimulating crazy shopping decisions, suggestive photography.
These are all examples of emotional branding that affects the senses. It is based on the assumption that the smell, color or sound can evoke emotions and associations much more effectively than a slogan. This especially applies to striving for the attention of modern customers who encounter dozens of advertising slogans during their daily use of the Internet. These today - more and more often - do not make too much of an impression on them.
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Emotional branding - examples
At first, emotional branding may be associated with strictly lifestyle brands, such as a magazine for modern women or a club for professionally active young people. Meanwhile, emotional branding applies to virtually all industries today. Ads and branding brands subtly guide consumers to the emotions that are to be associated with the brand:
- Thanks to the fact that Volvo is safe, Volvo allows you to live life to the fullest and fulfill yourself at any age. In the advertisment Volvo the philosopher Alan Watts indirectly argued about it.
- Coca-Cola is one of the many sweet and not so healthy carbonated drinks. The manufacturer makes it easier to make a purchase decision and positions it as a moment of pleasure that can be shared with loved ones during a family dinner.
- Emotional branding is practically used by all large coffee shops. They realize that the coffee itself can be bought from a vending machine or made at home. So customers don't go to such a place to actually replenish their fluids. Rather, they go "to Starbucks”Or“ for a coffee with Żabka ”, combining an emotional charge with these places, which is valuable from the advertiser's point of view.
It is worth remembering that today we are talking not only about emotional branding of companies, but also personal brands, i.e. to put it bluntly - individual people. Their brands, consciously or not, are shaped by business people, artists and influencers.
Emotional branding is heavily used by technology brands. The devices or applications themselves are quite similar to each other, and customers can be guided by the most advantageous price and make quick changes. Thanks to the Lovemarks theory, however, they become loyal to the brand and even power the club of its fanatical followers. There is a reason why fans of devices or solutions are referred to as "followers".
Can emotional branding be disadvantageous?
Branding emotional, if well thought out, is a great strategy. The costs of its implementation are not constant and can be significantly reduced by using original or modern tools. The only thing you need to remember is to be whole brand image was consistent, and the image campaign was long-term. If the message is always kept in one emotional tone, accompanied by similar patterns, graphics or sound signals, positive emotions will easily be triggered in the client.
Such strategies can be ineffective if they are undertaken once - they can at best confuse the recipient. Attempting to evoke extreme, strong emotions may be rejected and be considered a manipulation technique. Representatives of some tabloids or retail chains, whose first campaigns in Poland were flashy, based on basic instincts and strong emotions, found out about it. Later, it took them many years to break with the populist image.