It's a question that businesses have asked for years: why do people choose one product or service over another? To answer this, researchers talk to customers and potential customers in shopping malls and restaurants. We do focus groups and call people at dinner time to ask their opinions. We test ads and key messages. We're all curious about what consumers think and how they decide what to buy.
But, according to Dan Hill, author of Emotionomics, what people tell us in all this research might not be the whole story. He says there's a "rational/emotional split in all of us, which we're often not consciously aware of." He also said we feel before we think, and those emotions are "subconscious, immediate and inescapable." In other words, emotions play a bigger role in choices than we might realize. This is devastating to a practical, logical gal like me, but it does explain a lot about those ugly, pricey handbags so many women are sporting. It's not the attractiveness of the bag; it's the status of owning one. There's no logic in that. It's all about emotion.
We should have been listening to business guru Tom Peters all this time, because he's said for years that emotions rule. Peters said, "I believe that emotion is where it's at." It's clear, however, from many ad campaigns that companies haven't figured that out. They focus their messages on features rather than benefits. They believe if they present logical, practical information, people will be persuaded. But it doesn't work as well as playing on emotions.
There are product ads that excel in grabbing our emotions and creating a fantasy world. Fragrance ads tell us that we will be irresistible if we buy their product. There's obviously no logic or price value involved. It focuses on hope, optimism and romanticism.
Toothpaste ads aren't really about whiter, healthier teeth. They're about people liking us because we look nice and have fresh breath.
If you think your advertising is working, consider these statistics from Emotionomics: