Finding an emotional connection is key to finding customers

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Arylessence is in the fragrance business, but a report just released shows ways to connect with consumers and motivate them to take your product to the cash register can spur creative thinking for just about any product and service.


Think about all the drab, mundane, run-of-the-mill commercial messages that are out there, especially in the local media marketplace. In our area, we actually have automobile dealerships that run ads on television that are little more than a three-color Sunday newspaper display ad with a voiceover. Do we remember which dealership uses that technique? No. Why would we? Unless we were specifically in the market for a car and already knew where this particular dealer was located, we were not given a single element to hang our hat on for future reference. And even if we were in the market for a car, the pitch we’re getting is weak.

Let’s look at what Arylessence has to say, and then we’ll come back to the commercial.

“Sensory touch-points and the desire for sensuous, emotional experiences are still among the key factors driving U.S. consumer buying decisions,” says Arylessence, and adds that there are several other factors that are driving purchasing these days – there are more creative arrows in the quiver than just stirring up emotions.

“We are tracking the trends that define American consumers,” says Steve Tanner, President of Arylessence. “When you understand the perceptions and preferences shared by millions of Americans, the consumer landscape comes sharply into focus.”

Adds Marketing Director Lori Miller Burns, “Even in a challenging economy, U.S. consumers continue to look for inspiration and ideas that connect to their passions. People are demanding the best quality, multiple benefits, maximum performance, and less waste from products that cost less, including private label brands – but they also want exotic, super-ingredients, … natural, soothing products that nurture and protect; and stimulating foods and flavors they have never tasted before; all sourced in sustainable, earth-friendly ways. For these products, consumers are willing to pay premium prices.”

In other words, consumers want it all. From Arylessence, here are some of the trends it believes are ready to be exploited.
* Emotive Edge – ideas that connect with sensory touch points, consumers emotionally, and deliver memorable, sensuous experiences American Stories – a passion for American values, patriotic themes, and increasingly, locally sourced and locally produced foods, beverages, clothing and accessories.
* South America! – reflecting the creative vitality and rich resources of South American countries like Brazil, plus the diversity of natural, exotic, and nurturing ingredients sourced from the Amazon rainforest and other regions
* Style Rewind — renewed interest by fashion designers and consumers in everything vintage, classic, and timeless, evoked by Hollywood glamour, old-world aristocracy, pre-war luxury, the Beat generation, and hippie culture from the 1960s
* Eco Evolution — reflecting a profound change in how global corporations, small entrepreneurs and consumers alike now think about the world, sharing a commitment to sustainability, protecting the planet, reducing waste, and using resources responsibly
* Modern Menu — a major trend on food, how people relate to food, and how American attitudes to food are changing, while U.S. food marketers and retailers innovate to keep pace with culinary desires.

Arylessence lists three other themes that still carry weight: Bang for Your Buck (value); The Power of Nature (use of natural ingredients) and Cause an Effect (contribute to a cause in one way or another).

RBR-TVBR observation: Let’s go back a typical car dealer ad. Hey, dealer – it’s your money. If you want to show a newspaper ad on television or read it over the radio, that’s your business. But we’d take a few minutes and come up with something a little bit better.

It doesn’t have to be a big budget production. There is a certain amount of charm in something that is obviously home-grown, and in an era that is quite used to YouTube quality, it is technically easy to get a professional edge over much of what’s out there.

So how do we get an “emotive edge” in a car commercial? Just off the top of our heads, few things are as emotionally charged as trying to escape from zombies.
A young couple with a small child runs to a dealership, trailed by a pack of the undead creatures. They meet a salesperson, and as the zombies get dangerously close, they find out that they can get great terms and fast credit on a well-appointed model right there in stock and ready to go. They sign a contract, hop in the car and escape just as the zombies are ready to strike.

And to underscore the fact that the family’s relationship with the dealer will continue after the purchase, the heroic salesperson could even aid their escape by taking out some of the zombies! Now that’s service!

The dealer could even hire customers to be the zombies to add an extra helping of local buzz to the commercial. Maybe even move product to cast the commercial – buy a car today, and not only will we throw in the top-of-the-line in-car audio system, you will get to be in our next commercial as a zombie!
Would this work for radio? YES! Use the same script and think – how would Orson Welles do it? Go for it – an over-the-top outrageous theater-of-the-mind script with appropriate sound effects can easily fill the bill.

Our natural impulse is to go the comedy route, but there are many other options. Stretch your creative muscles and start finding them, and make your clients stand out.