Emotional appeals are effective in advertising, but you have to be careful in how you use them.
One of the most powerful modes of persuasion is an appeal to emotion. If you can evoke a specific emotional response in your audience, or if you can express empathy for a strong emotion they feel routinely, you can forge an instant connection with them.
This tactic has been used throughout the history of advertising as a shortcut to meaningful brand-consumer interactions. You’ve likely seen it in your own exposure to marketing and advertising; for example, you’ve seen campaigns appealing to your own sense of childhood nostalgia. You’ve seen ads trying to make you afraid. You’ve seen marketing materials trying to fill you with hope or pride.
This is useful, but you’ll need to be careful if you want to use it successfully.
Tips for Emotional Appeals in Advertising
These tips can help you keep your efforts in check:
- Understand your demographics. First, make sure you understand your demographics. Don’t blindly assume that you know how they feel or what they want; use surveys and market research to improve your understanding.
- Keep it subtle. If your ad is over the top, people won’t take it seriously. The best emotional appeals tend to be ones presented with some degree of restraint and subtlety.
- Don’t exploit a sensitive subject. It’s tempting to jump on the bandwagon when responding to a national tragedy or other sensitive subject, but it’s usually best to keep your distance. If you’re seen as exploitative, it could do more harm than good.
- Vary things up. Repeating the same tactic over and over will get stale, and could paint your brand in a bad light. Experiment with different emotions and different messages.
- Measure your results. Again, don’t just assume your messaging is working. Take the time to measure and analyze your results.
Are you interested in putting together a marketing and advertising campaign? Or do you need help revisiting a campaign that just wasn’t getting results? Contact Quez Media for a free consultation today!