5 things that Emotive Branding taught me and can help accelerate your brand too

As a curious marketing and communications professional, I have been digging into some interesting themes to broaden my perspective. Lately, I discovered ‘emotive branding’. Someone pointed it out to me as an essential view on marketing for building a clear, sticky and sustainable brand. Ever since I discovered this topic, I have been amazed at how important it is and how much influence it can have on a brand and the people communicating with it. Therefore, I really would like to share it with you today.

When I was on my way to Málaga for work, I flew with KLM. I’ve never been loyal to any kind of (airline) brand. The only reason I chose this airline is because of AirMiles that I could spend on extra luggage (maybe it’s just my post-student mentality). The flight was like any other to me, but one thing struck me. The flight attendant chatted with me a little bit before we took off. He asked what I was going to do in Málaga. When we were about to land, he tapped me on my shoulder and gave me a postcard. On the back a message said: “Enjoy the sun the next 5 months! And have fun in Málaga!”

This simple gesture was enough to make me smile and thank him. How cute! And yes, as a marketeer myself, I totally knew this was just a marketing technique. But hey, if you can even get a marketeer to fall for a marketing action…

 “At one level these brands simply sell airplane seats... But at the same time, they incite amazing behavior in the marketplace. People line up to buy their products. Great people want to work for these brands.” – Emotive Brand, June 9 2017

This encounter basically screams emotive branding. It is about the way a brand interacts with people and how these people respond back to it. KLM has set out a way of how they want to be viewed by their (potential) customers. On their website, KLM advocates customer first and wanting to be the customers’ first choice airline. I personally think simple tricks like a postcard can really make that difference and can create the engagement KLM was aiming for.

They evoked happy feelings. And happy feelings stick.

They showed that they are interested in the customer’s journey and want to wish them good luck or fun. KLM hereby showed the personal side of their business. By doing so, they evoked happy feelings. And happy feelings stick.

Now, this might all sound a bit soft. But think about it from an entrepreneurial point of view. Emotive branding can be the key to clear communication towards customers. They will know what you stand for, what you do, what you value and how you interact. The customers will most likely communicate accordingly in return. When (potential) customers understand who you are, it will create more engagement. More engagement turns into more leads, and thus more sales. And more sales will grow your company.

You feel excited after you talked to that company because they ‘understood’ you.  

Are you thinking – this is just for the Happy Few, like KLM? No way. Emotive branding is a very interesting technique for startups and Small and Medium Enterprises as well. I can talk about it for hours, but to put it shortly: it’s a competitive advantage. Especially for startups, you can define your brand well from the beginning to make it stand out from competitors, that have not thoroughly thought out their communication strategy. You will actually exist in the consumer’s mind, as they can define you in just a few words. Rather than getting a plain email answer, you feel excited after you talked to that company because they ‘understood’ you.  

Look at KLM on social media. The customer that received a postcard is likely to share it on Facebook and tag KLM. KLM does a follow-up and responds in the same tone-of-voice as the text written on the card: cheery, fun, enthusiastic. They just created two extra communication touchpoints and generated engagement.

Now, your turn. I believe that taking the time to go back to the drawing board and defining your brand values, can create additional value, for your team as well as your customers. When your team is on the same page, it is easier for them to communicate about the brand towards external relations. Furthermore, the simplicity of your brand story can initiate or accelerate word-of-mouth marketing. Don't underestimate the words you use to describe what you do or what you sell. It can become contagious to spread the word about a brand you love.

Short summary of the 5 learnings:

1) Consumers (subconsciously) evaluate brands the same way they view friends they interact with.

2) Brands that tap into their human drivers are more personal and thus can connect better to their target audience. This encourages engagement. Engagement->leads->sales->growth

3) Keeping the human drivers in mind when communicating (social media, email, f2f) makes it easier for potential consumers to understand your brand and what you stand for.

4) Customers feel more understood and closer to the brand than to competitors, and are more likely to return as emotions are triggered when encountering the brand again.

5) Working with emotive branding can create a competitive advantage for your company, but only if you implement the drivers consistently and stick to them.

How does emotive branding work for your brand? What values are defined within your organization and how do you implement them?

I am enthusiastic about optimizing communication processes within businesses and helping to create a brand identity. Get in touch for a (virtual) coffee and tell me about your company's communication :-).