Emotional Advertising Techniques

CFO: What’s a good ROAS target for 2025? CMO: The lower, the better. CFO: That doesn’t make sense. Why would we aim for lower ROAS? Isn’t that the opposite of what we’re trying to do? CMO: Not at all. ROAS obsession is where so many brands get it wrong. By focusing on short-term returns, they build a growth model that depends entirely on spending money to acquire customers. And that’s not sustainable. CFO: But don’t we need to acquire customers? Isn’t that the goal? CMO: Yes, but the goal shouldn’t be to constantly buy customers through paid ads. The real objective is to build a brand so powerful and resonant that people come directly to us when they’re ready to buy. No ads, no promotions—just a deep emotional connection to our brand that puts us top of mind. CFO: That sounds great in theory, but doesn’t building that connection mean spending more with lower returns? CMO: It does in the short term. Here’s the deal: at any given time, only about 5% of your audience is actively shopping for what we sell. For that 5%, ads focused on product, price, and promotion perform well. But for the other 95%? Those ads don’t resonate because they’re not in-market. That’s where branding comes in. CFO: And branding means advertising to the 95% who aren’t ready to buy? CMO: Exactly. The downside is that this effort will show lower ROAS because it’s not driving immediate conversions. But here’s the fantastic news—reaching that 95% is astronomically cheaper because they aren’t being bid on by every competitor in the category. CFO: So what’s the benefit of reaching them when they’re not shopping? CMO: When they’re not in-market, they’re less focused on rational factors like price and features. That’s the perfect time to build an emotional connection. If you connect with them then, by the time they’re in the 5%, they already know, trust, and want your brand. They don’t even shop around. CFO: You’re saying this makes us harder to compete with? CMO: Exactly. Competitors can match our price, promotions, and even features. But they can’t replicate our brand. A strong brand creates a value proposition that draws customers directly to us, bypassing the whole ad ecosystem entirely. CFO: So what’s the long-term play here? CMO: By focusing on branding and building this connection with the 95%, we’re creating future-proof growth. It’s not about immediate ROAS—it’s about turning our audience into loyal customers who seek us out on their own. That’s how we reduce dependency on paid acquisition and build a scalable, profitable business. CFO: Alright, I’m starting to see the bigger picture. Let’s talk about how we balance the short and long term in the budget. And next time, lead with this when you say “lower ROAS.” CMO: I like to get you all worked up sometimes. Lets me know I’m truly alive.

At airtel, I ran an iPhone giveaway marketing campaign three times, and to my surprise, none of them performed. Logically, you’d think offering a prize as attractive as an iPhone, especially during the launch period, would drive massive engagement. The assumption is that everyone would rush to participate, download your app, engage with the campaign, and complete the required actions. But what actually happened was the opposite. Engagement was shockingly, embarrassingly low. In contrast, campaigns that offered much smaller rewards—like a ₹1,000 or ₹500 voucher, or even just a free mobile recharge—generated higher participation rates, more app downloads, and greater overall engagement. But why does this happen? This outcome can be largely attributed to consumer psychology. When the reward seems too large or unattainable, people instinctively doubt their chances of winning. The concept of *perceived probability* comes into play here. When the prize is something as high-value as an iPhone, people immediately think, "What are the odds that I’ll actually win?" This skepticism causes them to disengage and not even bother trying, as they don't see the reward as realistically achievable. On the other hand, smaller, more attainable rewards feel within reach. A ₹1,000 voucher or a free recharge doesn’t carry the same sense of improbability. People feel like they have a real shot at winning something smaller, which encourages them to take the necessary actions, leading to better campaign results. In essence, psychology plays a far more critical role in shaping consumer behavior than we give it credit for.

After decades of working with leaders at companies like Apple, Salesforce, and Cisco, we've identified 4 storytelling techniques that consistently work to deliver important messages in high-stakes settings: 1. Start with the unexpected Don’t begin your presentation with context. Instead, begin with the moment that makes people think, “Wait…what?” Instead of something like: “Here’s an update on our September campaign…” Try starting with the most interesting detail: “I broke our biggest marketing rule last month, and it worked.” Lead with the surprise. You can add context later. 2. Let people feel the tension After the surprise, don’t rewind to the beginning. Take your audience to the moment where things weren’t working. Flat numbers. Missed goals. Stalled progress. Instead of: “The campaign was underperforming, and our team went back to the drawing board.” Try:  "We were two weeks out from the end of the quarter. The campaign wasn’t producing results, and the team was out of ideas. That’s when I decided to take a risk...” You don’t need to explain the problem. You need to make people feel it. 3. Use real dialogue When your audience hears what was actually said, they stop listening to you and start visualizing the moment. This helps them connect emotionally with what you’re saying. Instead of: “The campaign manager said team morale was low and they were struggling to find a solution.” Try: “My campaign manager pulled me aside in the hallway and said, ‘We’ve tried everything. The team has been working overtime, and we don’t know what else to do.’” Dialogue brings listeners into the moment with you. It makes the story real. 4. Share the lesson Never assume people will infer the meaning you intended. End your story by answering: - What does this mean? - How should someone act differently now? Example: “Breaking our biggest marketing rule helped us turn this campaign around and hit our numbers. I strongly suggest we revisit our marketing guidelines. We could be leaving a ton of revenue on the table.” Without the lesson being clear, even a good story feels unfinished. These are the same techniques we teach to our clients at Duarte. Try them out during your next presentation and watch how people lean forward and tune in to your message. #ExecutivePresence #BusinessStorytelling #PresentationSkills

The next wave of marketing innovation isn’t about automation alone — it’s about emotion. Which shoe would you get? AI today can recognize tone, facial expressions, and even micro-emotions in voice and text. This emotional intelligence is turning marketing from mass communication into personal connection. 🧠 Data speaks for itself: + 80% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase when brands show they understand their emotions. (Capgemini Research) + Emotionally connected customers have a 306% higher lifetime value than those who are merely satisfied. (Motista) + 70% of marketers using AI-driven personalization report double-digit engagement growth. (Salesforce) 💡 Real-world examples: + Coca-Cola uses AI-powered creative tools to adapt campaigns to local culture and sentiment in real time. + Netflix’s recommendation engine reads emotional cues in viewing behavior to tailor what feels just right for each user. + Adidas combines AI sentiment analysis with influencer content to sense trends before they peak — turning feelings into foresight. This isn’t marketing as usual — it’s marketing that feels. When technology understands emotion, brand experience becomes unforgettable. #AI #MarketingInnovation #EmotionalIntelligence #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation #MarTech #BrandStrategy

Same LinkedIn post. Two countries. Completely different results. Ever wondered why your content crushes it with one audience and falls flat with another? A meta-analysis in the Journal of Consumer Research studied 29,000+ people across 22 countries. The finding is fascinating — and directly applicable to how we create content here. In collectivist cultures (think Japan, China, Brazil), emotional messages persuade more strongly. In individualist cultures (think Germany, Netherlands, USA), emotional and logical appeals perform almost the same. This isn't about creative preference. It's cultural psychology. And it explains why the same hook, the same story, the same CTA can work brilliantly in one market and completely miss in another. What this means for you on LinkedIn: ↳ Collectivist audiences respond to: belonging, shared benefit, "we" language, emotional stories first ↳ Individualist audiences respond to: clarity, control, personal gain, logic first Both can be persuaded. But the order matters. Collectivist: lead with emotion, follow with certainty. Individualist: lead with clarity, follow with meaning. How to apply this: 1. Know your audience's cultural mindset before writing Ask: Do they think as a group or as an individual? 2. Test two versions of your key message One emotional-first. One clarity-first. Most creators never test this — yet it's often the biggest conversion lever. 3. Match your motivational cues Collectivist: protection, harmony, shared success Individualist: autonomy, competence, personal results Persuasion isn't universal. System 1 and System 2 don't operate the same way everywhere. Some audiences move through emotion. Others move through clarity. Many need both — just in a different order. If you're targeting a global audience on LinkedIn, one-size-fits-all content is leaving engagement on the table. What's your audience — more emotional-first or clarity-first?

When everything is the same, Brand is everything. Let’s play with a thought experiment: In a truly perfect market, branding should not exist. No differentiation. No price control. No customer loyalty. Just one identical product sold by many players at a fixed price. Sounds clean. But also completely detached from reality. Almost like a Black Mirror episode… The Theoretical Paradox: Branding has no place in perfect competition - Products are identical - Buyers have full information - No business has pricing power - Under this model, branding is irrational. Useless. Any marketing effort is a waste of money because buyers already know all products are the same and will pick the cheapest. There is no choice to make. So if branding is economically impossible here… why do we see branded water, branded salt, and branded milk? No market is truly perfect. Ever. Real-life buyers: - Aren’t fully informed - Rely on emotional shortcuts - Don’t always optimise, they satisfice (thanks, Herbert Simon) Even in industries close to perfect competition (B2B), branding thrives by: - Reducing perceived risk (trust) - Offering lifestyle alignment (identity) - Providing a memory shortcut (mental availability) Morton Salt didn’t win by being saltier,  it won by being unforgettable. Liquid Death turned water into rebellion, not hydration. Slack didn’t win on features, it won by branding work as fun, fast, and human. Oatly made oat milk weird, loud, and proudly anti-corporate. Who Gives A Crap made toilet paper feel cheeky, ethical, and worth talking about. Let’s get more real: The Role of Branding in Highly Competitive Markets 1 - Differentiation is a Survival Strategy When features are indistinguishable, innovation is hard to defend, storytelling, emotion and memory step in. Branding manufactures difference where none exists. 2 - Customer Loyalty Beats Race-to-the-Bottom Pricing A loyal customer is less sensitive to small price differences. That’s a margin win. 3 - Perception Drives Premium A brand with trust equity can charge more even in commoditised sectors. Just ask Evian. 4 - Brands Reduce Decision Friction We don’t want to evaluate every choice every time. Brands give us shortcuts and today we need them more than ever… Strategic Moves for Leaders: For CEOs: Compete on brand, not price. Find a purpose customers care about and tell that story consistently. For CMOs: Treat branding as demand creation. Lead gen without memory-building is wasted budget. For CFOs: Brand equity isn’t fluff…it’s a long-term value. Track it like any other asset. So: If you sell in a market where everyone claims the same features, why should a customer pick you? Because when products look the same, the brand becomes the choice. Ask yourself: What are you branding: a commodity or a conviction?

In marketing, emotive storytelling uses human emotions to create stories that captivate audiences. When done well, it may create a lasting impression that improves recall and cultivates brand loyalty. Marketing efforts can use emotive storytelling in the following ways to increase brand recall: 1. Real-life Narratives: By presenting authentic accounts of people who have profited from the brand, you can humanize it and make it more memorable and accessible. 2. Hero's Journey: It is a traditional narrative form in which the protagonist encounters difficulties, overcomes them, and ultimately prevails. Companies might present their goods and services as the "hero" who aids customers in overcoming obstacles. 3. Address Universal Themes: Tap into themes such as love, family, ambition, perseverance, or even fears. They're universally relatable and often evoke strong emotional responses. 4. Evoke Nostalgia: Transport your audience back to a 'simpler time' or specific moments in their past. The emotional connection to those times can be linked to your brand. 5. Dramatic Visuals: Captivating visuals accentuate a compelling story. Use high-quality imagery or videos that align with the narrative’s mood and tone. 6. Authenticity: Ensure that the emotional narratives aren’t forced or fabricated. Authenticity is key; consumers can sense when brands aren't being genuine. 7. Interactive Stories: Engage the audience by making them a part of the story. This could be through interactive videos, polls, or augmented reality experiences. 8. Embrace Vulnerability: Showcasing brand vulnerabilities or failures and how they were overcome can create a transparent relationship with consumers. 9. End with a Positive Note: Even if the story starts with a challenge, ending on a hopeful or positive note can make the narrative more memorable and leave the audience with a good feeling about the brand. 10. Consistency Across Platforms: Ensure the emotive narrative is consistent across all marketing channels for a unified brand image. 11. Empower the Consumer: Position the consumer as the protagonist, and show how the brand plays a pivotal role in their personal story or journey. 12. Engage the Senses: Alongside visuals, use sound, textures, or even scents if applicable, to offer a multi-sensory experience that deepens the emotional connection. By harnessing the power of emotive storytelling, brands can foster deeper connections with their audience, driving higher engagement, loyalty, and, ultimately, brand recall. #marketingcampaigns #LinkedInNewsIndia

Did you know that cyclists are faster when competing against each other than when competing alone against the clock? In general, people tend to perform better when they’re in the presence of others. The effect is known as “social facilitation” and it’s not just about sports or physical tasks; our feelings react more strongly too. So, we perform better and feel more intensely when others are with us. What’s going on? Physical and emotional activity have a common pathway through the #brain, namely the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Specifically, the sympathetic branch of the ANS controls the body’s “fight or flight” response. Although we often think about this in the context of being terrified, it is active all the time to maintain a healthy internal state. In the presence other people, the sympathetic branch of the ANS upregulates its activity – that is, it increases the fight-or-flight response. This prepares the body for action by increasing the heart rate and constricting certain blood vessels, directing blood flow to essential areas like muscles and away from less critical areas at that moment, such as the digestive system. Breathing becomes more rapid to enhance oxygen intake and blood sugar levels increase, providing a quick energy supply for whatever action might be required. There’s some great work by Robert Zajonc which shows the effect is not limited to humans – many species change their behaviour in the presence of conspecifics. You can see it in things as simple as cockroaches. When placed in a group, cockroaches run faster (a terrifying image)! Even mice navigate mazes more effectively when being observed by other mice. Emotions use the same sympathetic nervous system, precisely because evocative stimuli – a creepy guy lurking in the shadows or a crocodile looking at you as “lunch” – not only evokes fear, but also prepares the body for action. As a result, we experience stronger emotional reactions when around other people than when alone. This is specifically known as “collective effervescence” and it has clear implications for #ExperientialMarketing. In brief, emotional impact is enhanced when it occurs in a social context. Taking Zajonc’s work into consideration, it becomes clear that one reason that experiential marketing events are disproportionately impactful relative to more traditional approaches is because of the social context, which heightens arousal and emotional reactivity. Not all impressions are not created equal. Even though experiential events don't reach as large an audience, they are far more likely to make a lasting impact. So when preparing that media plan, don’t forget the benefits of live events, OOH and cinema – all places were the audience is surrounded by other people! What’s your experience of social facilitation? Have you noticed improvements in either your performance or your emotional reactivity in the presence of others?

If your audience didn’t feel anything… you didn’t give a speech. You gave a TEDx audition. The best speakers don’t just inform or entertain. They move people emotionally. Case in point: that viral Thai ad “The Dog” by Kiatnakin Bank. No dialogue. No celebrities. Yet millions cried. Why? Because it tapped into something universal: human emotion. So… how do you do that as a speaker? After 15 years of speaking in 39 countries to half a million people, here's how I evoke emotions in my audience. 1. Choose the emotional entry point, not just the story. Every speech has two beginnings: - the first line you say - and the first feeling your audience registers Before you write anything, ask: “What’s the emotional state they’re in right now?” Are they burned out? Feeling stuck? Hopeful but scared? Then ask: “What emotion do I want them to leave with?” When those two emotions connect, where they are and where you want to take them, your speech becomes a journey, not a monologue. 2. Use emotional contrast, not just chronology. So instead of storytelling like “this happened, then this…” (boring!) Build it like a movie trailer. What creates suspense? Contrast. Here’s how I structure it now: Before the storm - Life was okay… or so I thought... The disruption - Something happened I didn’t see coming... The emotional cost - I didn’t just lose money/time/status, I lost sleep, confidence, myself... The turning moment - And then suddenly... (a moment of truth, a wise mentor, or a shift in perspective) changed everything The ripple effect - That shift led to action, small at first, but it created a wave of momentum, and the results started to follow (yay!) The transfer – And here’s what that means for you. This format works because it mirrors the emotions of transformation and that’s what people want to feel. 3. Give emotional language, not just a moral. Most speakers end with “So… never give up.” (boring!!) But audiences can’t act on vague encouragement. What they need is emotional vocabulary. Say: “If you’re in that same dark place… you don’t need motivation. You need clarity. And here’s how I found mine...” or “Maybe today you’re like how I was, smiling on the outside yet quietly panicking inside.” Insight lands when people feel seen. 4. Don't just end hope. Instill self-belief in them. Our job as speakers isn't to impress the room. Our job is to transfer belief and courage so they are empowered to make the necessary changes even after you have left the stage. Here's how I do it. I say: “You don’t need my story to be inspired. You need to see yourself in my story. And if a guy who used to panic before every speech can now speak globally… I promise, there’s more in you than you know.” Remember, your audience will likely forget what you say but they will never forget how you make them FEEL. This is how you get asked back again and again! #publicspeaking #getpaidtospeak

The more you inject empathy into your content, the better the results. Here's proof... 👇 AI is an incredible tool for content creation, but the secret sauce to truly stand-out messaging? Empathy and humanity. When you approach ChatGPT (or any AI tool) with empathy, you get more personalized, impactful, and human-centered content. Here’s why: 🧠 Understanding your audience’s feelings: Empathy helps you ask the right questions, resulting in content that resonates on a deeper emotional level. 🧠 Creating more relevant responses: You’re not just answering questions—you’re speaking to your audience’s lived experiences and values. 🧠 Improving tone and engagement: Content infused with empathy feels more conversational and less robotic, fostering trust and connection. Let me show you how this plays out in action: Before: ➡️ "Our nonprofit helps communities access better healthcare services. Donate today to support our mission." After applying empathy: ➡️ "Imagine not being able to access the healthcare you need. You’re scared, unsure what the future holds. That’s the reality for many communities we serve. But with your support, we can change that. Every donation brings us one step closer to ensuring no one is left behind when it comes to their health." Notice the difference? The second example connects with the reader’s emotions, creating a sense of urgency and responsibility. It's specific, and it invites the reader into a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable. This discomfort motivates them to solve (or prevent) a problem. As social impact leaders, when we build content rooted in empathy, we unlock more effective ways to connect with our audiences on a deeper level. If you're looking to build trust, authority, and credibility in your thought leadership, start by infusing empathy into every interaction.