One common way to psychologically influence consumer choice is product placement at checkout counters, especially on lower shelves. Children, seeing colorful candy packaging, will often ask their parents to buy it, otherwise the shopping trip ends in tears.
This tactic is carefully planned by merchandisers to attract the attention of the child target audience. Specialists use various psychological techniques in brand strategy and advertising, competing for consumer attention and loyalty.
A brand impacts its target audience by evoking a range of associations and stimulating the senses, shaping perception. Through perception, we create a specific brand image in the consumer's mind, which we achieve using various psychological approaches. Let's examine them in this article.
Colors: mood regulators
Most people process information better through visual imagery. Therefore, when developing a brand identity or creative advertising campaigns, it's crucial to consider the effective use of a color palette that carries meaning for the audience.
What is color psychology?
This is the theory that colors shape consumer perception, mood, and behavior. When choosing a color scheme, we pay attention to other factors that also influence a person's reaction: cultural code, gender stereotypes, personal experience, mentality, and association with the object.
How to choose the right colors for a brand?
Colors have meanings that influence consumer mood and emotions.
— Green: a color of balance, equilibrium, tranquility; often associated with nature and health.
— Yellow: a color of cheerfulness, confidence, optimism.
— Blue: a color of reliability, comfort, trust.
— Purple: a color of charm, mystique, luxury.
Colors are not always unambiguous and can have several interpretations, even opposite ones.
— Red: a color of love and power, but also anxiety, aggression, and danger. Cartier, a jewelry brand, uses red to convey passion and energy. Road signs warning drivers of danger are also red.
— Black: a color of sophistication and wealth, but also mourning and anger. Chanel's fashion collections evoke feelings of grandeur, elegance, and luxury in consumers. Note the brand's calling card – the little black dress, which every woman should have in her wardrobe. However, in Russia, black also has a negative connotation associated with mourning and grief.
We select colors that suit the company's image and create positive associations with the brand.
We set marketing goals: to retain the audience, we maintain brand consistency.
We look at product characteristics: ketchup is red because it's made from tomatoes; other colors would cause contradictions and distrust among consumers.
We focus on the brand platform: a company with family-oriented, traditional values might use yellow as a symbol of happiness and sincerity.
We consider the target audience profile: in the children's segment, saturated and bright colors are often used, but soft and calm shades are also relevant for this audience.
When developing a visual system, we use several colors, forming a brand palette. In a project to create a brand identity for the EVO real estate agency, we devised a combination of complementary colors: blue and orange. The color scheme, with its contrast, attracts the audience's attention and reinforces the identity's metaphor: the close interaction between the client and the realtor for a successful deal.
How Did a Color Get a Company Name?
Tiffany & Co., the jewelry company, successfully integrated a signature turquoise hue into its communication, to the point where this color is now named after the brand itself: «Tiffany blue».
Storytelling: an emotion activator
Stories allow consumers to immerse themselves in a brand's ideology, forming an emotional connection and strengthening loyalty.
What is storytelling?
This is a format for presenting information through engaging and dynamic narratives that reflect the company's values and mission. The consumer becomes part of the story, forging a connection between them and the brand.
How to create a story?
Archetype. We build a brand based on its archetype, often reflecting the founder's personality. The brand style, identity, ToV, and communication strategy form a unique image that conveys the company's values.
— Videos. We tell the brand's story through memorable commercials, using dramatic techniques and emotions.
— UGC content. We tell the product's story through the experiences of real users, organically incorporating UGC content into brand promotion.
— Collaborations. We form partnerships with companies that share our values and with charities, strengthening our reputation and generating new content.
— Podcasts. A modern approach for informal and open dialogue with the audience. We tell the brand's story in a live format.
Storytelling is evident in all channels of audience interaction to create a consistent brand image.
How to infuse every detail with a story?
The Russian brand Surf Coffee distinguishes itself from traditional coffee shops with its unique concept, unlike its competitors. The establishment's main theme is Hawaii and surfing. From the bright tropical branding to the interior design, every detail tells customers the brand's story, immersing them and making them the central character, a true surfer.
Storytelling is an exchange of energy between the brand and consumers, encompassing the entire audience and forming an emotional connection.
Authority: influencing consumer choice
Every person has an authority figure – a mentor and teacher whom we listen to. Brands become part of our lives, and the audience sees them as authorities on various issues. For example, mass-market brands look up to fashion houses like Chanel or Balenciaga and develop collections based on these brands' shows. They dictate fashion because they hold an authoritative position in this field.
What is authority in psychology?
Authority is recognized influence based on competence, leadership qualities, empathy, determination, and honesty. It is established within a specific field and relies not on formal authority but on trust and respect.
How do brands influence behavior?
Authority has a long-term effect, so it is formed comprehensively and over a long period of time using various tools.
Building trustworthy and transparent communication:
We openly share the brand's values and mission using various communication channels: promotion, identity, messaging.
We actively work with feedback, ensuring a positive customer experience at every stage of interaction and forming strong, trusting relationships with consumers.
We form a positive brand image using branding tools and a communication strategy.
Strengthening expertise:
We build expertise and share knowledge through publications, blogs, webinars, and presentations.
We participate in industry events and publicly express our position in podcasts, forums, and our blog to build industry leadership.
We develop the CEO's personal brand using social media, the media, and their direct participation in industry events to demonstrate their
expertise and experience.
- Developing a social media promotion strategy:
We manage social media pages, publishing content relevant to the interests of our target audience.
We build a loyal community around the brand, stimulating active engagement and running various contests and promotions.
We collaborate with influencers who generate UGC (user-generated content) to expand reach and attract new customers.
A combination of various communication strategies strengthens the company's authority in the eyes of the target audience. For example, Apple successfully cultivates an image of innovation and technological superiority in all its communications: from its corporate identity to its advertising campaigns. Steve Jobs' personality played a key role in shaping the brand – his image is closely linked to Apple's products, which have revolutionized the industry. Apple's annual product launches generate interest and active online discussions both before and after the event. This online buzz, purposefully created by the company, has a powerful psychological impact on consumers.
Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi: a matter of perception
Blind taste tests have shown Pepsi to be preferred over Coca-Cola. However, when participants knew the brands, Coca-Cola emerged victorious. This highlights the power of Coca-Cola's long-term positioning strategy and established positive image, resulting in greater brand authority compared to Pepsi. Consumers connect more strongly with the traditional family values Coca-Cola projects: images of Santa Claus and the polar bear resonate deeply with the child segment of the target audience. In contrast, Pepsi's bolder ads featuring celebrities like Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Messi don't elicit the same powerful emotional response.
Personalization: a tailored approach
A personalized name on a Starbucks coffee cup is an effective marketing tactic rooted in psychology. It emphasizes the company's individual approach and attention to each customer at every stage of brand interaction.
What methods are used in a personalized approach?
Amidst the information overload and vast product selection, a personalized customer approach is not just a trend but a necessary condition for building a successful brand. To stand out from competitors and gain trust, it's essential to offer customers:
• Relevant products based on purchase history;
• Individually tailored emails based on preferences and website activity;
• Targeted content considering demographic and behavioral characteristics;
• Relevant advertising aligned with audience interests.
Effective personalization requires collecting user data; however, caution is crucial, considering consumer anxieties regarding personal information security.
— We use data on location, purchase history, and user activity on the website.
— We segment the audience based on CRM data (demographic and psychographic characteristics).
— We conduct surveys and utilize direct communication to understand customer needs.
— We systematize the collected information and apply it to create personalized marketing interactions at all stages of the sales funnel.
How does Ulta Beauty learn about customer preferences?
Ulta Beauty creates personalized recommendations for customers, using both general socio-demographic data and individual preferences that users specify in the store's app: skin type, hair type, allergies to ingredients.
By analyzing this information, Ulta suggests specific products tailored to each customer's needs – for example, customers with curly hair are recommended products with smoothing effects.
Thus, personalization is built not only on general data but also on information voluntarily provided by the customers themselves.
Creating effective branding using psychological principles, applying them ethically and respecting consumers' privacy.
Ethical considerations: healthy relationships with the audience
Using psychological techniques in marketing raises ethical questions. Key principles include:
Honesty and transparency in communication to maintain customer trust and avoid harming the brand's reputation.
Providing consumers with freedom of choice, avoiding manipulation, and ensuring a positive user experience.
Obtaining clear consent for the use of personal data; otherwise, the consumer will lose trust and loyalty to the brand.
The Aloha browser advertising campaign focuses on internet security. The creatives use funny, AI-generated characters in everyday situations, highlighting the slogan: "Not the time for data collection." The humorous style and absence of real people and places ensure positive perception and brand recognition without the risk of offending the audience.
Ethical principles in marketing are not always clearly defined. Companies set their own boundaries based on their philosophy. While the use of psychological methods in branding can be an effective tool, it should be based on mutual respect and trust. This approach leads to the formation of strong and long-term relationships with the audience.