An analysis of 1400 successful advertising campaigns from the IPA dataBANK¹ found that purely emotional content boosted profitability by 31%, compared to 16% for rational content. This effectiveness stems from the brain's ability to process emotional input without cognitive awareness.

We’re emotional creatures. We often make decisions with our gut, in seconds reacting subconciously to stimuli. If we see someone smiling, we’re inclined to smile back according to the psychology of mirroring. Its no wonder then that advertisers plaster their ads with happy people. They want to evoke that same emotion in you.

From stimuli that trigger anger and happiness; that inspire or surprise; or invoke a sense of nostalgia or sadness, it’s important that you understand the makeup of each in order to best influence the perception of your brand and evoke the desired emotions and business outcomes.. To help, I’ve included examples of emotional markting below.

The 5 powerful emotions your brand can evoke

Nostalgia can create a powerful emotional connection with viewers, evoking fond memories and a sense of comfort. Microsoft's Child of the 90s Internet Explorer ad tapped into millennial nostalgia, garnering over 48 million views. The ad takes viewers on a journey through iconic 90s items and experiences, reminding them of their childhood while subtly promoting Internet Explorer's evolution. By evoking shared memories, brands can create a sense of belonging and emotional resonance that prompts viewers to engage with and share the content. In fact, nostalgic advertising has been found to increase word-of-mouth by up to 23%².

Happy content encourages sharing and positive brand associations. Coca Cola’s Share a Coke campaign, featuring personalized bottles, increased the brand's Facebook community by 3.5% and drove a 7% increase in sales³. Happiness not only boosts viewer engagement but also enhances recall, making viewers more likely to share content that elicits joy. In fact, research indicates that positive emotions can lead to a 40% increase in sharing behavior among viewers⁴.

Empowering content can motivate viewers to take action and share messages that align with their values. Nike's Dream Crazier campaign, narrated by Serena Williams, celebrates women breaking barriers in sports. The ad has amassed over 33 million views and sparked conversations about gender equality in athletics Empowerment in advertising can galvanize viewers, prompting them to share content as a means of self-expression and support for a cause. Research indicates that empowering messages can increase brand loyalty and purchase intent by up to 26%⁵. By making viewers feel capable and in control, brands can create a strong emotional connection that encourages engagement and sharing.

Speaking of safety, Melbourne Trains in Australia approached their cautionary messaging in an entirely different way. Unexpected elements captivate viewers and prompt shares. The Dumb Ways to Die PSA garnered 315 million views for its quirky approach to a serious topic. Surprise can heighten curiosity, leading viewers to engage more deeply with the content and share it with others to elicit reactions. A study found that surprising content is shared 30% more often than predictable content⁶.

Emotional stories resonate deeply. The Thai Life Insurance Unsng Hero ad, showcasing acts of kindness, amassed over 117 million views and significantly boosted brand perception. While it finished on a happy note, sadness is a part of the emotional fray evoked by the ad. Sadness can foster empathy and connection, motivating viewers to share the content as a way of spreading awareness or support for a cause.

Conclusion

While the benefits of emotional marketing are clear, implementation can be challenging. Creating authentic, emotionally resonant content consistently is no small feat. It often requires significant time, resources, and creative energy – luxuries that many businesses, especially smaller ones, may not have. Moreover, emotions are subjective and can be interpreted differently across cultures and individuals. What resonates with one audience segment might fall flat with another. This necessitates extensive testing and optimization, which can be time-consuming and costly. Lastly, the need for diverse, high-quality video content to support emotional marketing strategies can be a significant hurdle, especially for businesses without large production budgets or in-house video teams.

A good ad will provide useful information. A better ad might make you think. The best ads, however, are so creative that they make you feel.

Marketing executives need to ensure their messaging is in line with their branding to effectively utilize the power of emotional marketing. For example, if you’re a travel brand, lean into happiness, not fear. Use happy actors to express joy, or if you’re on a budget, custom AI avatars can mimic emotion realistically. With digital avatars and AI ads generators, you can control the emotions you want to evoke and scale production incredibly fast. Try Creatify here. Whatever emotion you want to convey, understanding the effect each one can have on an audience is key to reaching virality.

¹IPA dataBANK analysis: https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/emotional-ads-work-best.htm#sthash.yu8l31Jn.dpuf

²Attitudes and Emotions as Determinants of Nostalgia Purchases: An Application of Social Identity Theory: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258209900_Attitudes_and_Emotions_as_Determinants_of_Nostalgia_Purchases_An_Application_of_Social_Identity_Theory

³Share a Coke campaign results: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/jul/24/share-coke-teach-brands

⁴A comparison of attitudinal loyalty measurement approaches. Journal of Brand Management, 9(3), 193-209: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233693383_A_comparison_of_attitudinal_loyalty_measurement_approaches_Journal_of_Brand_Management_93_193-209

⁵Advertising “like a girl”: Toward a better understanding of “femvertising” and its effects: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mar.21023

⁶What Makes Online Content Viral?: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1509/jmr.10.0353