Many elements contribute to effective advertising, but if you can elicit an emotion from your audience, your message is more likely to stick with them, which could lead to a sale. Both positive and negative feelings can drive consumers to act. Here are the top 10 emotions to consider utilizing in your next advertising campaign.
- Coolness: Often without even thinking about it, consumers compete with one another to have the next best thing. Tech companies tap into this with every new generation of gadget they release. Make your product more desirable by upping the coolness factor in your advertisements.
- Empowerment: Convey the thought that using your product or service puts customers in control. Whether it’s a convenient smart home device, supportive sports bra, or new car with excellent handling, people love using products that make them feel powerful.
- Trust: If you sell a product that could cause harm if something goes wrong, you must instill a sense of trust in your audience. Consumers want healthy food, reliable electronics, and safe pet toys. Make it clear in your advertising that these are the qualities you offer.
- Belonging: Many people buy products to fit in with everyone else. If you can make your product or service feel mainstream, or associate it with a sense of community, you’ll build a consumer family around it.
- Nostalgia: Looking back at once-in-a-lifetime events such as weddings and graduations evokes powerful emotions. Reminiscing about the good old days has the same effect. If you sell products or services that help preserve memories or remind people of yesteryear, amp up the nostalgia factor in your marketing efforts.
- Awe: When you have something truly innovative to offer, go for the “wow” factor. Almost every company can use this emotion, from car makers to nonprofits to tech companies. It’s all about saying, “Look at what grand idea we just came up with!”
- Guilt: Non-profits asking for donations inspire guilt better than anyone else. If your product is suitable for gift giving, you can plant the idea of guilt if consumers fail to buy a Christmas or Mother’s Day present.
- Love: This is another way to approach advertising for giftable products. Convey that consumers buy your chocolates, flowers, or other gifts because they love the person they’re giving them to.
- Fear: Products and services designed to protect you or have your back when things go wrong—such as security systems and insurance coverage—often tap into consumers’ fears. Ads may be presented humorously to lighten up the doom-and-gloom feeling.
- Sadness: Similar to fear, sadness is an emotion you must use with caution. If applicable, share stories about people whose lives improved when they used your product. This resolves the initial feeling of sadness and leaves consumers feeling reflective rather than depressed.
Eliciting the desired emotional response from consumers can be tricky. For help getting it right, please contact John Manlove Marketing & Communications at 281-487-6767.