A provocative editorial in Brandweek recently, really got me thinking. It addresses a topic that’s near and dear to my heart: an insight into the whole left brain-right brain approach to branding in view of recent economic events.
The article, Why Spock Needs Kirk, starts in this manner: “Many in the mainstream media have heralded the end, or at least the indefinite suspension of, emotional branding. The right brain is out. The left brain is in. Kirk has lost. Spock has won.”
Is it really better to go one way or the other? Or does it make sense to integrate both–a view I’ve long held.
The economy is tough and consumers have made a hard turn away from much of their discretionary spending. True. They’ve restructured their priorities, goals and needs. True. They’ve shifted their mindsets from acquiring to surviving the current economic storm. True. Does that mean marketers should ditch the idea of using emotional drivers and appeal to consumers solely on a rational level?
As the author states: “From strategists like Marc Gobe to neuroscientists like Antonio Damasio, the understanding that emotions drive decisions more than logic, even when we think we are being ‘rational’, is well established”.
What I like about the proposition set forth in the article is this: in tough times, consumers may very well be forced to be more rational when making purchases. But does that mean people, being people, can totally divorce their emotions from the decision-making processes before making purchases? Highly unlikely.
Ever notice how people exhibit definite preferences when confronted with having to choose one product from among a group of products with similar features and pricing? Scenarios? They like (emotion) one product over all of the others. Or they have had good experiences with that brand in the past (emotion). Their best friend has that product, talks about it, loves it (emotion).
The article articulates an important point well: “First, what many view as a shift away from emotional branding would be better described as a shift in consumers’ emotional drivers from indulgence to assurance”. So: how can marketers find the right tone and appeal to consumers’ rational side and emotional side in a balanced manner? And what are the emotional drivers that consumers are responding to now?
How about empathy? That is, how about offering customer-centric understanding first and then offering viable solutions, rather than shouting “everyday low prices” which has become banal, tired and over-used? How about offering customers real value, that is, something that delivers the kind of value they’re looking for right now? Something that will make their lives easier? Something that delivers a bit of happiness in tough times? Something unexpected? Or more than they expect for their money?
What are people more likely to respond to? Two marketing scenarios:”Here’s the best Widget in the world at this price. Look at the updated benefits and features it offers” or “You can have our updated Widget that has the new features you need to make your life easier (demonstrating how) for less than you would expect to pay”.
As is the case with so many things, I think a balanced approach might be the most effective way to market at any time, even during periods of economic downturns. Showing human to human empathy, balanced with rational, logical reasoning seems to make sense.
Questions:
* What do you think of taking the balanced rational-emotional approach in marketing?
* Which kinds of emotional drivers do you think consumers will respond to now?
* Do you think that some categories of consumer products are more successfully marketed in a rational manner? In an emotional manner? If so, which ones and why?
* Can you think of specific brand examples that are using a balanced approach successfully?
I’d love to hear from you.
Related posts:
What do you think of taking the balanced rational emotional approach in marketing?
Although people have a tendency to lean in one direction, I believe you can’t divorce the two because people are inherently rational and emotional.
For instance, I had a woman/mother walk into the ski shop and we narrowed down her choices to two expert level skis. She was torn between the two, feature wise each was quite similar, so I suggested a vision of the type of skier for each. One is better for a mother who’s out teaching her kids to ski, but still wants to rip a few turns on her own time, the other is for mom with an attitude who sends her kids off to an instructor for lessons. I’ll leave it to your imagination which ski she chose.
While her decision was emotional in choosing her ski, she was quite rational/practical in picking out the kids equipment. This involved my explaining how it makes more financial sense to buy the kids skis rather than lease, considering we have a guaranteed price tradein program.
Different approaches to buying, same person.
Ted, I think you and Peter Rogovin have it right in that a balance between rational and emotional branding is a key to success in today’s market place. Human beings are certainly not entirely rational (just take a look at the volatility of gold prices and/or large stock market changes by the hour and day).
For a good example of a balanced value proposition, I really like what Hyundai is doing with their “if you lose your job in the next year, bring the car back” campaign. It helps people manage their uncertainty, while getting a great automobile in return.
Jesse,
It’s great that you took the time to share a great example of consumer buying behavior based on the emotional vs rational approach to making purchase decisions. You’re quite observant, aren’t you? Love how you recapped by saying: “Different approaches to buying, same person.” Exactly. We humans are complex and sometimes respond to situations in a more emotional manner, and at other times, in a more logical one.
Thanks, Jesse. I always enjoy reading your input.
Thanks, Paul, for taking the time to weigh in on this. Agreed that the most effective marketing has to appeal to us on an emotional as well as rational level. The question has to be: how to achieve the right balance?
Great example of a brilliant marketing initiative that offers us–as you say–”a good example of a balanced value proposition”. BTW: I think this current economy ought to get companies thinking of ways they can capture consumers as Hyundai has done.
I don’t think Damasio’s point is that people are more emotional than rational. The thrust of his work has been to counter the predominant rational choice paradigm which conceived of people as purely rational actors. Damasio in addition to folks like Kahneman and Tversky have demonstrated persuasively that we are both rational and emotional. If memory serves, Damasio shows that emotion and reason are difficult to untangle in the neuorological system.
Frankly, I think this topic has become rather tiresome. About as tiresome as nature vs. nurture. Branding is about both. People clearly involve reason when making purchase decisions. They also involve emotion. The challenge is to understand how those two factors mix together and what circumstances tend to make one predominate over the other.
Adam,
Thanks for adding your thoughts to my post. Many have debated this issue in the past, and I expect they will continue to. For me, this topic isn’t tiresome or over-done at all. In fact, I think it more relevant than ever in this downturned economy. Marketing has a bigger challenge than ever on its hands now in finding the right balance to appeal to cash-strapped or spending-averse consumers. Dan Pink, former speechwriter to Bill Clinton, author and speaker is out on the conference circuit addressing this topic to large audiences right now. Stay tuned for more on this subject.
Thanks, Adam, for weighing in. I appreciate it.
I think there is always emotional branding. It just varies in what emotions you evoke in your marketing. But I believe truly long-term successful companies stay true to who/what they are – in good times and bad.
Good points, Martin. Agreed: emotions are great consumer motivators. Different market conditions call for different emotional drivers, don’t they? Love your point about successful brands sticking to who they are–so true.
Thanks for weighing in, Martin. Succinct and excellently articulated points.
Ted, Just taking Bing for a spin and happened across your blog. So first, thanks for the props and good points in extending the thinking and applications. Second, I agree (naturally, since I wrote the column) that it is not tiresome and dated; in fact, we’ve seen a number of brands wholly embrace a more balanced view in stark contrast to previous campaigns (Allstate and Liberty Mutual come to mind). Finally, I don’t think I misunderstood or misrepresented Damasio’s thesis, though I’d be the first to admit I did not read the fine print of his book. In his most famous studies, which are vigorously debated and in some circles discredited, he demonstrated that people who did not have the ability to empathize and feel emotion (due to brain injury) – in theory, people who could ONLY think rationally – could not make decisions. The degree to which this applies to brands is debatable, but the general thought that we cannot turn off part of our brains when making decisions might be interesting news for any brand that has shifted to a features and price message as a knee jerk response to the recession. Anyway, good discussion, and thanks again.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for the kind words and for further sharing your thoughts with us. You know, when I write my posts, I’m not thinking about endorsing any particular brand or product; any particular author’s article or book. I’m thinking about writing a commentary on something I personally find provocative and worthy of further discussion. Business people have many diverse POVs, Peter, and they don’t have to agree with your opinions or mine. It really isn’t important whether they do or not, in my view. What I’m trying to do here: get people to think about a number of issues. Discuss them. Share their ideas. Send this on to friends and colleagues. That’s it. And I have to say, this is a very enjoyable experience. Love it. Value the input from everyone. Lastly, I learn a lot from others, too. Many give me pause to think and reevaluate, too. That’s what makes blogging like this so compelling.
Thanks again, Peter.