How Using Emotions in Marketing Can Yield Better Results

February 21, 2022 by Shannon Kegerries

“Just Do It” and “Choose Happiness” are two of the most notable ad campaign taglines in marketing history. Nike and Coca-Cola, respectively, are two brands that have mastered the art of using emotions in marketing.

Positive advertising is a staple for these brands. With Nike, their emotional branding appeals to the “inner hero” in everyone. With Coca-Cola, they bank on that rush of emotions when you pick up a bottle of their soda.

According to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of the purchasing decisions by consumers are made in the subconscious mind. Successful brands invest in maximizing the emotional connection with the audience because it influences their buying decision. 

Let’s delve deep into the impact of using emotions in marketing and learn how to maximize their use in your campaign. 

7 Emotions to Target in Your Marketing

Not all emotions are made equal. So, how do you know which emotions to target in your marketing efforts? 

1. Happiness

When using emotions in marketing, both positive and negative emotions can elicit a response from the target market. However, those that evoke positive emotions like happiness are 30% more likely to be shared. This statistic is according to findings from research on viral advertising. 

Furthermore, the book “Brands Can Make Consumers Happy! Development of a Scale to Measure Brand Happiness” notes that consumers are drawn to a brand not just for their products but also for the emotional experience they offer. 

No one seeks out negative emotions. After all, people are drawn to what makes them happy and gives them a reason to smile. That’s why we love brands that inspire positive emotions.

2. Surprise

It may be a cliché to say that life is unpredictable, but it’s also truthful. This is why surprise is listed as one of the top emotions brands employ in marketing.

The element of surprise is addictive, and it turbocharges emotions. When executed correctly, it can fuel passionate relationships. 

There are several ways to integrate the surprise element into your marketing campaign. Ad Council is one of those brands that have executed this to perfection. Check out the 2015 ad from Ad Council. 

3. Humor

Humor is another tried-and-tested strategy that brands use for marketing. Using emotions in marketing with humor is a light-hearted way to make yourself memorable. 

Mentos is one of the best examples of brands that have made a mark with humor, depicting individuals who’ve effortlessly dealt with unfortunate circumstances. With its funny take on these situations, they’ve endeared themselves to their audience. 

4. Compassion

Compassion and marketing are two terms that rarely go together. But as the marketing landscape has changed over time, we’re seeing more brands tap into this emotion to evoke a response.

Using compassion in marketing often involves tackling a social issue. Consumers love supporting brands that give back to society or those in need. 

Children of the World exemplified this idea when they launched the Help Me Read This campaign. The goal was to help improve literacy among children in India, and they did so by sharing real stories from children in New Delhi. 

5. Fear

Fear is one of those human emotions that are vital for survival. It’s fear that prompts us to react in the presence of a threat and to act with a sense of urgency. 

The “fear factor in advertising” is designed to persuade and emphasize prevailing dangers or risks of harm to an individual. It helps to open our eyes to take action before our fear turns into reality. 

So that it won’t blow up in your face, it’s your delivery of fear messages that are crucial here. It can be a risky game, so make sure you plan it well. 

6. Sadness

As mentioned above, when using emotions in marketing, we want to evoke positive thoughts about our brands. So, why would you want to induce sadness?

The truth is all kinds of emotions are strong and compelling, and sadness is one of the most powerful emotions out there. 

Have you ever seen an ad that turned you into a blubbering, emotional wreck? Inspirational and moving ads are fast becoming the norm these days. 

One of the best examples of this is Hallmark’s Mother’s Day ad campaign, which went viral, bringing moms to tears everywhere. The ad depicts the circle of life that shows how moms’ first experiences with their children can quickly turn into their last. 

From sleepless nights to seeing your child driving their own car, the ad was a gut-wrenching wake-up call for moms to cherish every moment with their little ones, even though motherhood certainly isn’t easy. 

7. Anger

Anger is another negative emotion that some marketers might shy away from using. But as any good marketer knows, you should exploit any chance at using emotions in marketing.

Anger is a powerful tool for marketing because it can spur action and it can light a fire in someone. Injustice, racism, and inequality are just some of the issues in society that spark anger among individuals.

As long as you can execute it with tact, anger can be a potentially powerful tool for marketing. 

Our 5 Best Tips for Using Emotions in Marketing

Before you get people to buy your product or service, you need to get them to trust your brand. Emotions can play a crucial role in brand awareness and forging connections with your target audience, so let these tips guide you…

1. Use Storytelling to Elicit Emotions

Storytelling is as old as history. It’s also one of the oldest tricks in the book for marketers. 

You can take that to the next level with a technique known as narrative transportation. 

You want the audience to become emotionally involved in the narrative you are creating. It’s not enough to relate to the hero. They must feel the raw emotions and pains of the character enough to be moved. 

2. Ask Questions That Make Your Audience Think

The best kind of marketing is one that speaks directly to the audience. But you also want to forge two-way communication with your audience so you can pick their brain. 

Ask them the questions you want them to think about because that drives engagement. Encourage them to share their opinions about your brand’s experience by soliciting a response or asking questions. 

3. Get in Touch with Your Ideal Customer & Speak Directly to Them

Using emotions in marketing is also about building a personal connection with your audience. To achieve that, speak to them directly. Let them feel you have established a relationship with them (i.e., you understand what they are going through).

It starts with knowing your ideal customer and their buyer persona. Then, you can tweak your emotion-fueled message accordingly. 

4. Demonstrate Your Authentic Brand Personality

In an effort to elicit emotions in your marketing message, it is easy to get lost in the desire to draw that reaction from your audience. However, don’t let this make you lose sight of your brand authenticity. Otherwise, there will be a disconnect that will negate your efforts. 

Using emotions in marketing doesn’t just mean you evoke any emotional response. It must be consistent with who you are as a brand and what you are trying to represent. 

For example, Nike is so successful in its “Just Do It” campaign because they were among the first sportswear brands to convey a positive message like that. While their campaign message has changed over the years, they have remained consistent in their commitment to using an emotional trigger. 

5. Make the Audience Feel Involved 

The ultimate barometer for success in marketing is to make it personal. Emotions are useless if they don’t make your audience feel involved or see themselves in that same situation.

Coca-Cola has excelled at this for many years as they’ve tackled universal emotions in their campaigns. The company’s emotion-rich marketing makes their audience see themselves sharing the same meal and other experiences with their families, siblings, and loved ones.

Final Thoughts

Emotions can play a crucial role in brand awareness and forging connections with your target audience. Before getting prospects to buy your product or service, they have to trust your brand. 

Using emotions in marketing is also essential to make your audience feel the impact of your message. People feel more compelled to respond to a strong emotional appeal. 

All emotions can be used to encourage prospects to respond. But using negative emotions such as fear and anger can backfire. So, make sure to plan well before using them in your marketing and advertising. 

With the help of professional marketing services from Viral Solutions, you can create emotional marketing strategies that trigger the right response from your audience and give them a sense of belonging. Start with a FREE 50-point Marketing Audit. 

Filed Under: Business Tips Tagged With: emotions, Emotions in marketing, powerful tips

About Shannon Kegerries

Shannon’s deep desire to help others is a trait that was developed early on, as she has always enjoyed seeing people, groups, organizations, companies, and families thrive and make positive changes that encourage growth in all areas. That combined with her love of learning is what drove her to earn her master’s degree in psychology and counseling from Pittsburg State University in Kansas. For more than 15 years, Shannon worked in a variety of settings as a behavioral, family, young adult, and group therapist. As a behavioral therapist and case manager who has worked with people from nearly all walks of life, Shannon has a knack for helping others reach their desired outcomes, which she applies to her work at Viral Solutions as a content marketer. In addition to possessing keen insight into what drives human behavior, Shannon strives to find various ways in which she can relay each client’s message and vision to their prospect so that it hits every angle and sinks into the prospect’s mind. Likening her role to that of a detective, Shannon enjoys gathering information about each client’s prospect and competitor, then fitting it all together with the client’s product/service as the answer to the problem. She is a StoryBrand Certified Guide.

When she’s not working, Shannon enjoys reading, skiing, painting, and spending time with her family.