Emotions are raw in 2020. So much has changed in our everyday lives, and there are so many unknowns. Successful advertisers have always found ways to tap into viewer emotions to engage and persuade, and the power of emotion-driven approaches is clearly present in this moment.
However, the ways that ads tap into emotions, the specific emotions they tap into, and the results produced cannot be assumed to be the same as they were pre-pandemic. Some of the key differences that we’ve observed in the time since the pandemic hit are as follows.
Joy has always been a potent emotion that can, when elicited by an ad, increase the ad’s ability to engage and persuade. However, joy is – and always has been – a many faceted emotion. In today’s world, the types of joy that are resonating best are of a quieter, deeper nature. Carefree, lighthearted joy has become, at least for now, less relatable and thus has lost some of its power.
Ads that in pre-pandemic times elicited joy through stories of family togetherness, and those that depicted discovery of new places and experiences sometimes don’t elicit joy at all anymore. Rather, these stories may in these times elicit a very different emotion – namely sadness. The sadness that comes from times lost, situations no longer possible can be very profound, but doesn’t necessarily bode poorly for the brand that elicits these feelings. Of course, in extreme cases, sadness can produce a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness – which aren’t in a brand’s best interest.
On balance, however, we’ve found that eliciting negative emotions can actually work positively for brands – and it’s a far preferable outcome to produce a negative emotion versus running ads that elicit no emotion at all. Sadness, in fact, when acknowledged and shared, can lead to a sense of empathy and togetherness.
Speaking of togetherness, times like these cause people to want to pull together and help each other. We’re all finding ourselves confronted with a common problem that is far bigger than we can tackle alone. Many brands are tapping into these desires to band together with ads that elicit inspiration and/or pride.
At Communicus, our findings reveal significantly more ads successfully eliciting inspiration and pride in 2020 than we’ve seen before (at least since post September 11, another era in which America pulled together for a time, united by a singular, previously unfathomable event). These emotions can, like joy and sadness, work for brands who are successful in tapping into them.
A conversation about emotional resonance in advertising is not complete, however, without a strong caveat. Specifically, the stronger the emotional focus in an ad, the greater the need for the brand to be inextricably intwined into the story – and to be present in the moments in which the emotion peaks. A strong emotion sans brand will be just that – a strong emotion without any payoff for the brand. So, to all those who strive to tap into emotions to drive brand feelings, don’t shortchange the critical branding piece, without which it’s all for naught!
