Emotion in marketing is the use of emotion as a driver of consumer behaviour. Emotionality can be used to encourage people to purchase, adopt or engage with a product, service, or brand. It is important for marketers to adopt an “emotional” approach, as emotional attachments to a brand can be the driving force behind loyalty, trust and commitment.
In the past, marketing has focused on logic and reason to drive consumer behaviour. This approach is effective but can be limited as it fails to tap into the emotional needs of consumers. Emotional marketing reaches a wider audience and can be more persuasive than traditional marketing.
In order to understand how to use emotion in marketing, it is important to understand what emotions are. Emotions are a response to an external stimulus and are divided into two main categories: positive emotions and negative emotions. Positive emotions such as happiness, joy and excitement can be used in marketing to reinforce desired behaviours and create lasting relationships with consumers. Negative emotions such as fear, anger and guilt can also be used in marketing, though they should be used with great care as they can lead to undesirable consequences such as distrust or resentment.
Emotions should also be integrated into marketing strategies in a way that is relevant and authentic. Emotional elements should be created with the target audience in mind. For example, a young audience is likely to respond more positively to humour and playfulness, while an older audience might be better suited to messages of reassurance and security.
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One key element of using emotion in marketing is storytelling. Storytelling in marketing is the use of stories as a tool to engage consumers and evoke an emotional response. It can be used to paint vivid pictures of a desired lifestyle or to convey a message in an interesting and inspiring way.
Another way of using emotion in marketing is through brand positioning. Positioning is the way in which a company or brand is “positioned” in the minds of its target audience. The goal of positioning is to associate the brand with specific values, ideas and emotions. This helps to distinguish the brand from its competitors and to create a strong connection with its consumers.
A final consideration when using emotion in marketing is the use of visuals. Visuals can be used to powerfully convey powerful emotions in a way that words alone cannot. Visuals should be used in conjunction with other elements such as colour, typography and layout in order to create a unified and compelling message.