Posted by Susan Gunelius | Ask Your Target Market

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius brings over 20-year of marketing and branding experience as Contributing Editor for the AYTM.com blog. She is the author of numerous books about marketing, branding and social media, and her marketing-related articles appear on top media websites such as Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com.

Building a Brand Based on Emotions: Desire for Freedom

Posted by Susan Gunelius

There is a reason why marketing programs hyping “no contract,” “cancel anytime,” and “money back guarantee” are so popular. All of these messages allow consumers to make purchases without feeling trapped by long-term commitments. Try-and-buy programs are used by brands in many industries today in an effort to start relationships with consumers without requiring them to give up their freedom to back out if they’re not happy. Consumers value their freedom and demand it in more of their purchase decisions every day. Read more

Building a Brand Based on Emotions: Fear

Posted by Susan Gunelius

Everyone is afraid of something but regardless of what each individual might be afraid of, there is no doubt that fear sells. Since few products actually solve a person’s fears but rather placate fear temporarily, brands that effectively evoke feelings related to fear can establish long-term relationships with consumers who think they won’t be safe unless they keep buying the brand. Anyone who pays for any kind of insurance is proof that fear sells for a long, long time. Read more

Building a Brand Based on Emotions: Desire for Instant Gratification

Posted by Susan Gunelius

It all started with instant coffee, the Polaroid instant camera product, the Domino’s 30-minutes or less pizza guarantee, and the instant retail credit card at the register program. I’m talking about consumers’ desires for instant gratification and the creative brands, products, and programs that became integral to meeting those desires. Read more

Building a Brand Based on Emotions: Control

Posted by Susan Gunelius

Most people like to feel like they’re in control of their lives, futures, environment, and so on. Therefore, it makes sense for brand marketers to evoke emotions related to that desire for control through marketing messages and branded experiences. Those messages can be extremely direct, making it incredibly clear that the brand puts customers in control, or they can be very indirect, enabling consumers’ subconscious minds to latch onto a feeling of being in control — regardless of whether or not the consumer actually has any control in the brand relationship. Read more

Building a Brand Based on Emotions: Love and Belonging

Posted by Susan Gunelius

Relationship brands like Harley Davidson offer the perfect benchmark for building a brand based on the emotions of love and a sense of belonging. Harley Davidson surrounds consumers with branded experiences that can be shared with other brand loyalists. Harley Davidson merchandise, online communities, and clubs are just a few examples of how the brand has created a sense of love and belonging among consumers. It’s a brand strategy that your brand can implement, too. Read more