Emotional branding
Emotional branding is the marketing strategy used by companies that focuses on connecting the customer’s emotions along with their needs and aspirations through their products and services. The company wants to create a strong bond between its brand and customers by understanding the emotional needs of the customers.
Companies and brands provoke different human emotions like ego, love, emotional security, and power from its products and services. It is important that the company identifies which form of emotion to tap into for better results. Emotional branding to work effectively, the company needs to incorporate a well thought emotional brand strategy.
Elements of Emotional Branding
Customer Relationship
Emotional branding’s main aim is to create an emotional relationship with the customer. Brands and companies launch advertising campaigns with emotional messages that can relate or resonate with the customer. Such efforts gain the trust of the customers. Similarly, a brand connects with the customer with the help of storytelling which can be associated with different emotions of the customers.
Customer Experience
With the help of emotional branding, a company can create a soft corner and a sense of belonging in the heart of the customer. Brands elicit positive emotion to enhance experience throughout the customer journey. Such associations help the brands to grow and create magical experiences.
Vision
Each short-term goal of the brand helps to achieve the long-term vision. Emotional branding does not stop at making the customer happy, furthermore, it looks for ways to improve the customer experience to create a strong brand image.
Imagination
The success of emotional branding depends upon the imagination. Big brands that use emotional branding. By understating the customer perspectives and their needs, creative branding can be done. The power of imagination can create long-lasting images of the brand in the minds of customers.
Evolution
The needs of the customers are changing rapidly. It is important that the brand address the shifting needs of the customers. Brands need to be ready to adopt and evolve their message and strategies to link with the customers on an emotional level.
Community Building
Emotional branding looks to create a sense of belonging in customers and create a community. Brands build a community where customers can interact with the band and with each other. Customers celebrate the shared values, diversity and the sense of inclusion from the emotional branding and strive for excellence supporting and promoting the brand.
Benefits of Emotional Branding
Competitive Advantage
There are numerous brands in the marketplace for the customer to choose from. Brands that use emotional branding can differentiate from their competitors. Emotional branding connects brands with the customers. These strong emotional connections lead customers to choose the company over its competitors even if the characteristics and benefits are similar.
Brand Loyal Customers
Emotional connection with the customers foster brand loyalty. Emotional branding provokes the emotional aspect of the customers’ like joy, nostalgia, empowerment etc. This strengthens the bond between the customers and brands leading to regular purchase, word-of-mouth and positive advocacy. Such loyal customers ignore occasional shortcomings of the brand and support the brand by promoting it. Emotional branding makes a casual customer a voluntary business advocate.
First Impression
Emotional brands can create the first impression of the brand by resonating with the emotions of the customers. Emotional branding elements can evoke a positive brand identity and make an impactful lasting first impression leading to deeper engagement, loyalty and advocacy over time.
Connection with Customers
Emotional branding helps to connect with the target audience. When the audience can connect with the brand, they will value and support the brand. This is possible when customers can relate to the values and mission of the brand. Customers will develop a sense of being part of the brand.
Increased Customer Base
Storytelling is the best way to communicate the brand’s message to customers. Emotional storytelling to share the brand’s mission can help to reach new customers. The loyal customer also becomes the advocate of the brand and influences other people to buy that brand.
Crisis Management
Brands that are emotionally connected to the customer get support from the customers in the time of crisis. Customers support the brand to overcome obstacles in tough times and show their loyalty to the brand.
NIKE and Emotional Branding
“Just Do It” campaign is one of the best examples of emotional branding. Nike has been using this marketing strategy since 1988. Nike has been improving this campaign every year. They aim to empower individuals to overcome obstacles in their life and sports. Nike is provoking human emotions like determination, perseverance, and aspirations.
To create a strong emotional connection with the customer, Nike is collaborating with athletes and celebrities to tell their stories of hardship and struggle before achieving success. Nike is not just selling the product, they are advocating for a strong mindset and lifestyle for their customers. The “Just Do It” campaign is relatable to people from different backgrounds and age groups on an emotional level. Nike is using emotional branding to create a large group of loyal customers. They can do so by an effective emotional branding strategy that revolves around their theme of inspiration and empowerment.
