John Lewis’ recent ad campaign showed the retailer to be the master of emotional marketing, with a snowman travelling far and wide, only for it to be revealed at the end that he has been searching for the perfect gift to surprise his snow-woman.
While the retailer’s marketing is no doubt supported by extensive research and customer insight, it also displays a deep understanding of its audience which enables it to create ads that will appeal to consumers on an emotional level.
After all, campaigns tend to be more memorable if they evoke an emotional response which in turn creates fame and talkability and helps keeps brands front of mind with consumers.
However, marketing campaigns cannot be powered by emotion alone. They must be underpinned by consumer insight driving that creativity and engagement. The rise of Big Data has signalled a seismic shift in the way brands interact every day with consumers. Consumers are volunteering more of their information than ever, providing marketers with a broader view of their professional, personal preferences and interests and behaviours.
It’s a classic case of having your cake and eating it. Great campaign creative will result from a fusion of data and insight delivered in the right channels producing marketing content that are well targeted but also connect emotionally.
Essentially, data about your customer is a vital tool in understanding consumer behaviour, and brands are beginning to realise its importance in marketing activity. The consumer information they gather, together with research and behavioural economics insight about what makes people allows marketers to plan highly targeted campaigns to reach their intended audience. However, if brands can translate these insights to fuel ‘human’ content the creative concept that tells a story that connects to people, it is a clear way of creating meaningful customer engagement with people who, in turn, will be more loyal to the brand.
There’s no set formula for an award-winning campaign but rather than only focusing on the facts and figures of a campaign, brands must now look at a new approach to marketing. Successful campaigns are those that are supported by consumer data and insight which can be used to create marketing activity which will appeal to the people and inspire that elusive emotional connection with the brand that not only delivers the required financial results but remain memorable for consumers for years to come. A case of thinking data and talking human.
Marc Michaels, end to end marketing communications consultant, and a consultant at the Lateral Group. He was formerly director of direct and relationship marketing at the COI.
