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“If you can win the heart and mind, you have a better chance of winning the wallet.” is one of my favorite closing sentences from a marketing-centric article in recent memory.
The rest of the article isn’t too shabby either. In fact, it inspired me to build on our article about authentic content that we posted at the end of February. Just like authenticity transforms content; emotion transforms marketing campaigns.
What many big brands, or, rather, the marketing teams they hire, have come to realize is that most consumers aren't simply shopping for a product. They’re shopping for an emotional experience.
Have you even seen a sensible perfume ad? Probably not. But, has a perfume ad ever made you fantasize about lounging in your best ball gown on a boat sailed through the Mediterranean Sea by mysteriously half naked and very clean sailors? Oh, just me?
But anyway, you see my point. These kinds of ads appeal to a basic human longing for ease and beauty.
And then there are the ads that don’t appeal to our longing as much as they hit us right in the feels.
A lot of us are familiar with Budweiser’s lost puppy Super Bowl ad. It doesn’t have anything to do with the price, quality or any other physical aspects of Budweiser’s actual products. Instead it appeals to our primal reaction to loss, redemption and connection. It’s almost impossible to have no reaction when the music swells as Budweiser’s recognizable Clydesdales rescue the puppy and lead him home.
When a brand can actually make us believe we can achieve a better standard of living or relate to them on a human level, we're more inclined to associate ourselves with that brand, even subconsciously, by buying what they're selling.
So, whether you’re shopping around for a new car or storyboarding for Jeep’s next commercial, remember that once the heart is won, the wallet surely follows.
Have you ever been swayed by a marketing campaign, or are you careful to read between the lines anytime you see a feel-good commercial? Tell us about your experience on Facebook or Twitter. Or take the conversation further with the author on her personal Twitter.
Sources:
But, What Are You Really Marketing?
Budweiser 'Lost Dog' finds way to top of Super Bowl Ad Meter
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Budweiser 'Lost Dog' finds way to top of Super Bowl Ad Meter
