Whether we realise it or not emotions are a key driver for decisions around purchase. We think we are logical when it comes to deciding what to buy, but most often subconscious emotional factors heavily influence our decisions. What was the real reason behind buying that new jacket? Why did we have to have that new car? Why was this particular brand of soap the only option for your Mum for Mother’s Day?

We lead with the heart.

So, as brands, tapping into these emotions can ensure greater connected experiences. It can ensure we create a bond that stands the test of time and marketplace change. It can ensure we create a loyal following.

Now, you may be in a business for which you think ‘this doesn’t apply to me’. But actually it does. It applies to almost every business. Regardless of business model, or industry, brands gain strength and resilience by knowing exactly who they are, and connecting with people on an emotional level. If there is no emotion, or authenticity, or unique truth that connects a consumer to you, above another brand, it becomes difficult to sustain growth.

Strategy for engaging with emotion:

THROUGH HERITAGE AND BRAND STORY

Communicating the history of a brand not just as a history piece but with creativity and intimacy is an insightful way to create deeper audience engagement. People feel like they are privy to the inner workings of the brand, they develop a personal relationship with the brand and become true advocates.

Rolex is one brand that over the years has effectively communicated their story while inspiring and taking people on a journey. Rolex set out to craft the perfect time teller, dedicating all their resources to it. In doing so they aligned their brand with extraordinary people who were doing extraordinary things. This gave the brand a really tangible vehicle to express their core values, a vehicle that was aspirational and truly admired. For example in 1952 Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were wearing an Oyster Rolex when they conquered Mt Everest. This story was told in the true spirit of incredible endeavour.

‘Worn by luminaries, visionaries and champions. By artists, statesmen, explorers and leaders in their field. Only Rolex can claim such a distinguished group of wearers from the past and present. Rolex pays homage to these remarkable individuals whose lives changed the face of the world.’

THROUGH SENTIMENTAL MOMENTS

By focusing on key emotional moments in a consumer’s life, and bringing a brand’s products in line with their lifestyle, a strong emotional connection between the two develops. Tiffany have been very successful at taking their consumers on a journey around the emotion of love. For 175 years Tiffany & Co has played a role in the world’s greatest love stories. From spontaneous expressions of romance by Tiffany’s Instagram fans, to the company’s belief in investing in campaigns that are centred around the thought that some of the most romantic love stories come from real life. One such campaign is #truelovepictures Tiffany asked its audience to share their love stories through a series of photos and captions with the hashtag #truelovepictures. Tiffany provided romantic phrases like, “My heart skips a beat when…” inviting users to creatively fill in the blank and share photographs inspired by these unique captions. Users were also able to submit their moments of true love through Tiffany’s iPhone app and its microsite, WhatMakesLoveTrue.com. To kick off the campaign, Tiffany launched the gallery with images by The Satorialist and Garance Dore and invited Instagrammers with a romantic sensibility to participate, too. During the campaign, Tiffany offered to turn users’ digital submissions into physical postcards and mail them to that special someone.

Similarly De Beers created incredible community engagement with their ‘When Forever Began’ innovative diamond ad campaign. The idea was to capture the moment when an unbreakable kiss signifies the beginning of forever. To do this, De Beers set up an Unbreakable Kiss Mistletoe Installation in New York City’s Madison Square Park, and added a Matrix like set of cameras to capture the moment as a 360-degree film. The end result was a 3D picture of a single moment in time that could be viewed online or sent to friends and family through the ‘When Forever Began’ website’s gallery.

Two beautiful campaigns by two very innovative brands that really ‘get’ how to engage an audience on an emotional level.