Emotional Branding

Marketers achieve this by creating content that appeals to the consumer’s emotional state,
ego, needs, and aspirations.
Marc Gobé created the concept of emotional branding over 20 years ago and detailed it in his
book The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People. His philosophy is based on the
observation that connections can take place on an emotional level in relationships between
brands and people.
Emotional branding plays to humans’ natural desire for love, power, emotional security, and
ego gratification, all of which are subconscious and can be tapped into by emotionally
triggered marketing.
This tactic can be over 50% more effective than a non-emotionally targeted advertisement.
How does Emotional Branding work? – Marc Gobe Analysis
Marc Globe expressed 10 ways how emotional branding works.
These ways ensure that the brand doesn’t sell products to the customers to sell experience and
emotions. The list of the ways are as follows:
1. Shift focus from service to a relationship
The brand’s main focus should never revolve around selling services to the customers.
On the contrary, they should focus on the consumer’s cultural preferences to create loyalty
among the consumer base.
These include being open to criticism, working on the feedback of the customers. Also, allow
the customer base to give suggestions to improve the service.
This will spark an emotional connection with the customers. They will feel they are part of
the brand and not a revenue source.

2. Shift from ubiquity to existence

The brand should not be visible on every platform.
Instead, they should focus on the platforms where their target customer base has a huge
presence.
For instance, to cater to the younger generation, social media is the prime area to be visible.
But being everywhere on social media would not serve the purpose.
Be aware of those social media and other platforms where your audiences engage, and try to
develop relationships there.
3. Shift from individuality to character
There are plenty of differentiable brands out there, but a brand identity doesn’t indicate
character and charisma.
Each brand similar to people requires moral values and ethics that can be the blueprint for
moving forward.
They should be able to match with the moral values and ethics of the target customers.
4. Do have quality but also have a focus on fondness
Falling in line with the customer’s lifestyle holds great significance, as having a quality
product match the customer’s expectations.
However, the preferences of the customers are variable and keep on changing.
So, using emotional brands, a brand can ensure that the customer preference stays with their
brand.
5. Shift from product to experience
Fulfilment of desires and hopes of a customer hold similar importance as covering a need.
The product or service should be capable of making a memorable life experience for the
customer.
6. Shift from reputation to aspiration
There is no proof that a recognizable brand name will have more excellent emotional value.
On the contrary, brands that build emotion connect by fulfilling desires and hopes, deliver
good feelings and improve lives. For instance, Gucci, Apple, Tesla are prime examples of
aspirational branding.
7. Shift from communication to dialogue
Advertisements that deliver wrong messages are never useful in building emotional connect.
A two-way communication where the customer gets to have his say is the advertisement that
builds emotional connect.
8. Shift from function to feel
The product and services should never be just a solution to a problem; rather, it should be an
emotional experience.
For instance, the physical form of smartphones has come a long way. Initially, they were
heavy, but now they are sleek, light, elegant, and style icons.
9. Shift from consumers to people
The brands should focus on making the consumers feel like valued individuals rather than
treating them as a source of revenue for the brand.
10. Shift from honesty to trust
Consumers have the expectations of honesty from the brands.
Declaration of financial results honestly every year can help them build trust and loyalty in
the customer base.

Neuromarketing
Neuromarketing is a field of marketing research that uses insights and techniques from
neuroscience to understand and influence consumer behavior and decision-making. It
combines the study of the brain, psychology, and marketing to gain a deeper understanding of
how consumers respond to marketing stimuli, such as advertisements, product packaging,
pricing, and branding. Here are key aspects of neuromarketing:
1) Neuroscience and Consumer Behavior: Neuromarketing draws on findings from
neuroscience to uncover the neurological and psychological processes that underlie
consumer decision-making. Researchers use various neuroimaging technologies, such as
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and eye-
tracking, to study brain activity and physiological responses in real-time.
2) Unconscious Decision-Making: One of the central ideas in neuromarketing is that many
consumer decisions are made unconsciously or emotionally, rather than through
deliberate, rational thought processes. Neuromarketers seek to understand and tap into
these subconscious drivers of behavior.
3) Emotions and Branding: Emotions play a significant role in consumer decision-making,
and neuromarketing explores how different emotions can influence purchasing decisions.
Marketers use this knowledge to create emotionally resonant advertisements and branding
strategies.
4) Neuroimaging and Eye Tracking: Neuromarketers use neuroimaging techniques to
monitor brain activity while individuals are exposed to marketing stimuli. Eye-tracking
technology is also commonly used to monitor where individuals look and how their gaze
moves when viewing advertisements or product displays.
5) Product Packaging and Design: Neuromarketing helps businesses design product
packaging that is visually appealing and stands out on the shelf. It also examines how
packaging influences consumers' perceptions and choices.
6) Pricing and Decision-Making: Pricing strategies and their impact on consumer choices
are studied in neuromarketing. Researchers investigate how the brain responds to
different pricing structures and how consumers perceive value.
7) Advertising Effectiveness: Neuromarketing can assess the effectiveness of advertising
campaigns by measuring neural responses to advertisements. It helps advertisers
understand which elements of an ad resonate most with the target audience.
8) Ethical Considerations: There are ethical considerations associated with
neuromarketing, as it involves collecting sensitive data related to brain activity and
emotions. Researchers and practitioners in this field must adhere to ethical guidelines and
obtain informed consent from study participants.
9) Limitations: While neuromarketing provides valuable insights, it has limitations. Brain
activity does not always directly translate into purchasing behavior, and individual
responses can vary widely. Therefore, neuromarketing findings are often used in
conjunction with traditional market research methods.
10) Privacy Concerns: The use of neuroimaging technologies in marketing research raises
concerns about consumer privacy, as it involves the collection of personal data related to
brain activity. Ensuring the ethical and responsible use of neuromarketing techniques is
important in addressing these concerns.

Neuromarketing involved in Emotional Branding

Studies that favour the role of neuromarketing in branding strategies are-
• Emotions are responsible for creating the basis of 50% of brand experiences.
• Human processing of visuals is 60,000 x faster than text.
• 90% of buying decisions that consumers make are processed subconsciously.

Therefore, emotional branding strategies incorporate Neuromarketing them, as they target

and influence their audiences on a psychological level.
Neuromarketing revolves around neuroscience that analyzes the cognitive and affective
responses of an individual. It is used for making strategies that can leave a lasting impression
on potential and existing customers by stimulating favourable emotions in them.
Facial coding or eye-tracking are some of the scientific technologies that can be used for
understanding the emotions of the customers.
Role of Hierarchy of Needs in Emotional Branding
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory revolves around the classification of emotional
motivations of human beings via physiological, social, and emotional needs.
According to this, human beings first like to cover the physiological needs such as food, air,
shelter, water, etc. and then they look for the social and emotional needs like status, respect,
strength, and then self-actualization comes into play.
By understanding the hierarchy of needs of target audiences enable the brands to make better
emotionally triggered branding strategies.
Emotional Branding & Aristotle’s three pillars of Persuasion

The three main aspects of persuasion, according to Aristotle, are Logos, Ethos, and Pathos.
1. Ethos
This indicates sharing moral character and credibility.
Successful brands not only have the identity of providing the best in class products but also
having high moral values and ethics.
E.g., transparent brand decisions, ideal working conditions, environmental sustainability,
consumer satisfaction.
2. Pathos
These invoke a feeling of F.O.M.O (Fear of missing out) inside the customers that push the
customer to make a purchase.
Music, images, and jingles can be useful in awakening emotions of security, love, surprise,
fear, hope, etc. Emotions play a 95% role in consumer’s purchase decisions.
3. Logos
This falls under the statistical and logical aspect of marketing a product.
The emotions can garner interest among the customer for a product. But the quality of the
product is the main criteria that keep the customers hooked to that product.

Brand Equity:
a) Definition: Brand equity refers to the intangible value and strength of a brand in the
minds of consumers. It represents the degree to which consumers perceive a brand as
favourable, recognizable, and trustworthy.
b) Components: Brand equity is typically broken down into four components:
• Brand Awareness: The level of brand recognition and recall among consumers.
• Brand Loyalty: The degree of customer loyalty and attachment to the brand.
• Perceived Quality: Consumers' perception of the brand's product or service quality.
 • Brand Associations: The positive or negative associations consumers have with the
brand.
c) Importance: Building and maintaining strong brand equity is crucial because it can lead
to increased customer loyalty, higher prices for products or services, and greater brand
resilience in the face of competition.

Brand Image:
a) Definition: Brand image refers to the overall perception or mental picture that consumers
have of a brand. It includes consumers' beliefs, feelings, and impressions about the brand
based on their experiences and exposure to marketing messages.
b) Factors Influencing Brand Image: Brand image is shaped by factors such as
advertising, product quality, customer service, and the brand's reputation. It can be
positive, negative, or neutral.
c) Impact: A strong and positive brand image can lead to increased customer trust and
loyalty, while a negative or inconsistent image can erode consumer confidence.

Brand Personality:
a) Definition: Brand personality is the set of human-like characteristics and traits attributed
to a brand. Brands are often personified to make them more relatable and to create
emotional connections with consumers.
b) Examples of Brand Personalities: Brands can be seen as adventurous (e.g., Red Bull),
sophisticated (e.g., Chanel), friendly (e.g., Coca-Cola), or innovative (e.g., Apple). These
personalities are communicated through branding elements like logos, advertising, and
messaging.
c) Purpose: Brand personality helps consumers relate to and connect with a brand on a
more emotional level. It influences consumer preferences and choices.

Group Influence:
a) Definition: Group influence, or social influence, refers to the impact that other people or
groups have on an individual's attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and purchasing decisions.
b) Types of Group Influence:
• Reference Groups: Groups that an individual identifies with and seeks approval or
guidance from. These can include family, friends, colleagues, or online communities.
• Aspirational Groups: Groups that an individual aspires to join or emulate, often due
to admiration for their values, lifestyles, or behaviors.
• Conformity: The tendency for individuals to conform to the norms and behaviors of
their reference or aspirational groups.
c) Marketing Implications: Marketers often control group influence by targeting specific
reference or aspirational groups in their campaigns. Positive word of mouth within these
groups can be a powerful marketing tool.
Word of Mouth Advertising (WOM):
a) Definition: Word of mouth advertising refers to the spread of information, opinions, or
recommendations about a product, service, or brand from one person to another. It can
occur through face-to-face conversations, social media, online reviews, and more.
b) Impact: Word of mouth is highly influential because it is perceived as more trustworthy
and authentic than traditional advertising. Positive WOM can lead to increased brand
awareness, customer acquisition, and brand loyalty.
c) Strategies: Marketers can encourage positive word of mouth by delivering exceptional
customer experiences, creating shareable content, and actively engaging with customers
on social media.

In summary, brand equity, image, personality, group influence, and word of mouth
advertising are interconnected concepts that play a significant role in shaping consumer
perceptions, preferences, and behaviors. Successful brands understand and strategically
leverage these elements to build strong and lasting relationships with their target
audiences.