July 22, 2008
WHY THE EMOTIONAL BRANDING IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE’S REALITY?
Designer , writer, producer, photographer& keynote speaker Marc Gobe, is the author of the best selling book Emotional Branding. His philosophy has created a movement and forced a consumer driven thought process on how to connect brands with people from a rational to an emotional perspective.
As former President and CEO of Desgrippes Gobe /Brandimage one of the top 10 design firm in the world he brought on a new vision and approach to Design that changed Branding forever.
Now, as President and the leading force behind his new Think Tank Emotional Branding LLC, Marc brings innovation and consumer understanding into all the hidden corners of the branding process by producing documentary films on Emotional Events that impact brands and consumers. Sao Paulo was his first stop: a city whose mayor banned all form of outdoor advertising.
Clients such as Air France, Abercrombie and Fitch, Ann Taylor, Starbucks, Telefonica, Victoria’s secret or Coca Cola Trusted Desgrippes Gobe to create the experiences that made their brand famous in people’s heart.
Dear Marc, thank you very much for dedicating your time!
“It’s not just the skills that are important , it’s the ability to emote”.
Steve Jobs. Fortune magazine 2008
1. Today the consumer has more choices than ever and can access more information about products and brands easier than ever. In what manner the emotional branding can respond to these new business realities?
Emotional branding is about understanding people’s reality. Consumers today have more choices and more information’s but are they happier? In an economy that is inflationary and where even the cost of food and gas become prohibitive the notion of a consumer economy loses a lot of its meaning. Relying on more consumption to create jobs and survive requires a new set of rules and understanding.
2. Upon you, how the relationship person-brand is evolving nowadays? Is it getting more personal than before? Why?
From an emotional perspective, understanding people in their challenges is the key. Understanding people’s limitations and providing solutions to their challenges is paramount. Only the brands with meaning and an innovative philosophy that can continue the dream survive in that sort of economy. People are looking for brands to bring them a psychological benefit such as pride, joy or self esteem but they also expect brands to be trustworthy and reliable in their promise. I think we will see the death of Hype in the coming years.
3. What are the key-emotions that influence the consumer behaviour today? How the emotional involvement impacts the consumer action? (purchase/non-purchase)
The most powerful emotions used to be , Fear, Envy and Greed. Fear of losing what you have or fear of your future. Envy for things that others have (including their life styles) and Greed for all the (unnecessary things) that you can accumulate in such a stimulating commercial environment.
Stimulated by a younger generation, there is a major shift on how people respond to brands emotionally. The need for authenticity, trust and responsibility affect people’s feelings and their shopping habit. Engagement, care and happiness become powerful emotions for marketers to understand. Engagement for the important challenges we face such as the future of our planet, Care for others in a community centric way and the Joy and happiness that comes with simple things that have emotional significance for the long term.
4. Some experts say that emotional branding is a tricky thing and it is dangerous to play with people emotions. Do you agree? Do you believe that emotional branding makes the consumers more loyal? In what way?
The Emotional branding philosophy as explained in my book “ emotional branding” is not about false messaging as seen so often in Broadcast media, tricky strategies based on unattainable promises that impact negatively people’s lives or visual/commercial pollution that impose it’s dogma on unwilling consumers.
Emotional branding is about truth, responsibility and trust. My philosophy is not based on faking the discourse to hide a bad product, service or idea but in creating real connections with people from a true and genuine engagement by brands. Dove, Apple, Toyota, Target get that. Ford, Dell, the Oil companies and The Pharmaceutical industry don’t.
5. How the WOM (word-of mouth) influences the brands? What it would be the WOM impact on the brand when consumers are emotionally involved?
WOM is how brands are made or destroyed. The WOC (word of click) is really where reputations are made. In the 10 commandments of emotional branding as I present them in my book, the 9th commandments “from communication to dialogue” express the vast change that has occurred on how information is consumed today.
Tags: benefit, communication, consumer, dialogue, emotional branding, long term, marketer, marketing, promise, purchase, WOM
Posted in Brand marketing