In today’s crowded consumers’ market, the quest for brand loyalty is more competitive than ever. Successful brands understand that beyond offering quality products or services, cultivating an emotional connection with consumers is vital to establish brand loyalty. This emotional connection must go beyond mere transactions, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty that withstands market fluctuations and competitive pressures. In this discussion, you explore how brands create emotional connections, and how these connections influence how you view different brands.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Select a company you are familiar with or one that is well known that you feel could benefit from increasing its market share.
Post an evaluation of brands’ use of emotional connections to influence consumer behaviors, to include the following:
Identify two to three examples of marketing campaigns that create a strong emotional connection with consumers and influence their buying decisions and brand loyalty. Provide a link to each example and describe how it makes these connections. (Note: If you are unable to provide a link to the specific example, be sure to provide a thorough description of the marketing campaign and its attributes.)
Summarize how you are influenced by these brands’ marketing campaigns and how they might (or do) impact your feelings about the brands and your decision to purchase from them.
Examples of Emotional Marketing Campaigns
Successful marketing campaigns tap into core human emotions such as nostalgia, aspiration, belonging, and empathy.
1. Google: "Year in Search" (Emotion: Nostalgia, Hope, Shared Humanity)
Campaign Description: Every December, Google releases its "Year in Search" video, compiling the most common, critical, and often emotional search queries from around the world. The videos use powerful music and visuals to reflect on global events, triumphs, and struggles (e.g., searches for "hope," "unity," or important figures who passed away).
How it Creates Connection: This campaign works because it positions Google not as a search engine, but as a mirror of humanity's collective consciousness. It doesn't sell a product; it sells the feeling of being part of a larger global community, validating the viewer's own experiences and emotions of the past year. This fosters incredible goodwill and brand loyalty simply by associating the Google brand with profound, shared human experience.
Sample Answer
The power of emotional connection in marketing is its ability to bypass rational price comparisons and forge a loyalty bond that makes a brand feel irreplaceable. This strategy creates consumers who are not just repeat customers, but active advocates.
Evaluation of Emotional Marketing: Increasing Market Share
I will select Subway as the company that could benefit from increasing its market share. While highly recognized, Subway has faced recent challenges with its image, perceived quality, and intense competition from newer fast-casual chains. A strong emotional campaign could help them shift focus from simple value (the $5 footlong) to quality, nostalgia, or health aspirations.