Leading brands in today’s ever-growing, competitive global market know that, in order to build trust and rapport with consumers, they must cater to the public’s expectations and engage with them on a deeper, emotional level. The most successful products and services are those presented as unique in some way and, therefore, aren’t easily forgotten. That is, their brands manage to promote emotional engagement through their marketing strategies, building long-lasting, loyal relationships with their target audiences.
After all, if so many of the decisions we make on a daily basis are based on how we feel, this will also hold true for consumer behaviour. In turn, when venturing into new markets and contexts, organizations must adapt their marketing strategies to connect with specific audiences and create relevant, personalized experiences for such groups. To do so is often a challenge, however, and requires proper expertise.
This is where local PR and media relations come in. A well-regarded communications agency in Latin America, for example, may be the solution for a brand to unlock the vast array of opportunities the region has to offer and establish itself locally, truly connecting with people’s wants and needs.
But what actually is emotional engagement in marketing and how does it work? More importantly, how can you apply it to the contents your brand promotes and use it to your advantage? Let’s take a look.
What It Is and How It Works
Triggering positive feelings, memories and ideas through promoted content is one of the bases of marketing. Well-thought-out posts, ads or targeted articles evoke feelings like nostalgia, joy and relaxation by employing certain tactics, such as:
- Story-telling: A classic in the marketing toolbox, story-telling has been around for such a long time for a reason. As social beings, it’s only human nature to share stories in order to make sense of the world. A brand can use this by telling its own origin story, humanising itself; by means of client testimonials or by creating narratives that are both unique and universal and, above all, relevant to the interests of their consumers.
- Get to know your audience: The only way of understanding what is relevant is by knowing the people we are talking to. Authenticity and respect are key factors in building good relationships with target audiences, and this requires a clear notion of what consumers want and need in a given context.
- A play on the senses: Human beings constantly respond to sensory information. Neurological research has shown we process it faster than written text, and, therefore, are more likely to remember it. A brand can use this to its advantage by using visuals (such as images and specific colours) and music to hook its audience and trigger certain feelings. This will make your content and brand more memorable, and associate them to positive experiences.
- It’s all in the details: The best feelings are sparked by the simplest of things. Be it through the language you use or stories you tell, the most important thing is that your content conveys something personal, something that feels new and genuine. Paying attention to cultural nuances and other key factors is paramount in reaching success.
Why It Matters
Emotional engagement in marketing can be useful to:
- Connect with audiences quickly: This challenge is especially prominent in today’s overcrowded digital environment.
- Increase shareability: Customers are more likely to share content that resonates with them in some way at a deeper level, or that feels friendly and fresh. This is a guaranteed way of expanding a brand’s audience by organic means.
- Build trust and loyalty with your consumers: By reinforcing a consistent image and pattern when communicating, brands set themselves apart from others and create long-lasting relationships with their audience.
Emotional Marketing in Latin America: Engaging with a Specific Audience
As previously stated, knowing what is important to your target audience is essential to engage emotionally with consumers. In this sense, a brand needs to be informed about the audience it is trying to reach. What will they respond to? Which elements and ideas are important or attractive to them, and what will push them away?
When entering a specific market, one must bear these things in mind. The rich and vibrant culture of Brazil and Latin America on the whole presents unique opportunities for brands to connect with audiences, with the open-mindedness of most local cultures towards different people and ideas being one of the region’s most striking features. On the flip side, by being ignorant of local customs and nuances, one can also end up chasing away any chance of making genuine attachments.
Here are a few ways to make commercial success through emotional engagement more likely with the Latin American public:
- Know your history: Getting to know the local history in-depth enables the creation of narratives that will resonate with people and feel personal and respectful to them. It also prevents the risk of using outdated stereotypes to illustrate your brand. A good piece of marketing feels familiar in the best ways because meeting customers on a level playing field talks to them on an equal footing and doesn’t frame them as an exotic other.
- Localize: By producing content that is not only in that country’s language, but also mobilizes local idioms, slang and catchphrases, your brand will make itself more accessible and friendly.
- Go local: Employ local PR and media agencies, partner strategically and seek advice from those with the know-how to help you reach your goals. In the same vein, get familiar with your competitors and strategize accordingly after finding out what has and hasn’t worked within this environment.
- Keep it real and be creative: Even if you’re trying to play to people’s emotions, remember to balance it out. A heavy-handed approach might be perceived as fake or cliché. Creativity is key here to finding the best avenue and engaging emotionally in a productive way. Don’t be afraid to use humor or to try out something new, and most of all, be true to your brand’s identity while demonstrating genuine interest in the public.
Key Take-Aways: Creating Personalised and Memorable Experiences Through the Art of Emotional Engagement
As we have seen, emotional engagement is a crucial strategy when seeking to expand a brand’s audience and foster long-lasting relationships with consumers. It is as much about knowing what you have to offer and how your product is unique as it is about knowing and caring about your audience.
In turn, partnering strategically and thinking creatively can bring valuable contributions to the table, assisting your brand when venturing into new contexts. Ultimately, emotional engagement is really about creating the relationships that will define the future path you and your organisation are on.
