The Way to Persuade Consumers:
Getting to the Mind of the Matter
By Doris Walczyk, Director of Brand Strategy, Optima Group
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| Doris Walczyk |
Whether deciding on the right vacation, the right shampoo, or the
right partner, the underlying manner in which information is processed
is similar. If a proposition has more meaning for a person and seems
more familiar, that person will feel differently about that particular
proposition as compared to other available options. This unconscious
feeling can be captured, or brought into consciousness, through
a methodology that psychologists call response latency. At its most
basic level, this method demonstrates a person’s subconscious
preference toward one choice over another.
The decision-making process is unique, given that most of our choices
and decisions (about 94%) happen without our full conscious participation.
It is precisely because of this reason that it is difficult for
people to ever give a completely honest opinion—be it in a
focus group or other setting.
And then you need some inspiration
Consumers expect to be inspired. Moreover, they expect to be inspired
in an unexpected manner. Brands that have achieved this level of
inspiration—such as Apple, Nike, or Virgin—know that
they have attached consumers to their brand emotionally and, as
a result, have created a larger barrier for future competitors.
Even companies that understand this process and try to dig deeper
to figure out what exactly is inspiring and unexpected for consumers,
find that executing on this new knowledge can sometimes be an unforeseen
obstacle.
Why is it so difficult to move and enthuse consumers? Why can’t
companies always agree on what is inspiring? And most importantly,
what makes consumers more likely to love or attach to one brand
over another? These seem like fairly straightforward questions,
yet research on the number of truly loyal consumers can yield disappointing
numbers for many brands.
Furthermore, there is the problem of addressing consumer segments.
Some, such as teens, are perceived to be particularly finicky and
disloyal—always willing to try new things and always ready
to surprise marketers with their unpredictable behaviors.
Although companies have greatly improved on maximizing their internal
marketing efforts, systematizing strategies and brand best practices,
they have not been so effective at providing the answer as to why
spending in marketing correlates poorly with loyalty.
One recently accepted maxim is that in most categories, loyalty,
or a willingness to pay a premium, can only be expected of consumers
if the brand is perceived to be equally as meaningful as the product.
However, before we decide what makes a brand more meaningful, we
need to understand how we are wired to make choices and the role
that intuition plays in the process.
Don’t blink but look at the facts
Malcom Gladwell’s latest book Blink provides us with
a glimpse of what is to come. Knowledge provided by innovative interdisciplinary
studies, and neuroscience in particular, has everyone from economists
to psychologists questioning and reevaluating theories that have
been proposed over the last hundred years. One such theory is how
people make decisions and what makes one option more compelling
over another.
Mr. Gladwell highlights research that demonstrates that the subconscious
is much more in charge than we think—or than we would like
to think. After years of lab research and practical application,
he proves that people have the ability to process overwhelming amounts
of data without ever being aware of the processing. In other words,
decisions that are made almost instantly, or at the gut level, are
unfathomably complex and cannot always be articulated or understood
by our logical mind.
Even more interesting for marketers is data that points to how
our gut instincts can be much more accurate when making difficult
choices or decisions. If we could access this information and believe
it at will, we would probably focus less on charts and models and
more on meditation. And herein lies a significant problem. Over
time, human beings have been slowly retreating from their more natural
state of being—as a result of progress and focus on technology,
urbanization, science, business, etc.—and consequently, their
trust in intuition has diminished.
And the winner is… the right creative
In the past, creative people were respected for their talent but
not necessarily for being a key link to brand loyalty. If years
of study into human behavior are correct, a brand’s story
will be the only truly ownable unique proposition. In the same way
that we attach ourselves to people we like, brands that are loved
will be those that most closely align to people’s wants, expectations,
and aspirations.
To make a brand story compelling, businesses will want to look
increasingly toward inspiration and creativity. But they should
not necessarily narrow their approach only to good creative. The
right creative is more important when it comes into alignment with
people’s deeply held aspirations.
The good news is that today we have more ways of identifying the
right creative. The future belongs to those who can represent their
brand in its most meaningful iteration. With all the data indicating
that deeper connections with consumers lead to a better chance of
success, it might be time to take another look at the value of creativity
and intuition for impact on the bottom line.
Doris Walczyk is Director of Brand Strategy at Optima
Group in Highland Park, Illinois. Optima Group is a brand identity
firm with offices around the world, specializing in brand strategy,
identity development, package design and packaging research.
This article appeared in the April
2005 eBulletin.
Feedback on DMI Viewpoints and article proposals
are always welcome! Please email jtobin@dmi.org.
All articles reflect the opinion of the author and not the Design
Management Institute. |
