Navigate Polarizing Emotions and Decision-Making in American Consumers
Is your brand truly connecting with and engaging diverse and complex consumers across segments? Our latest report explores top performing brands to help you enhance your own marketing and communication strategies.
As we continue to navigate uncertainty, polarity, and speed of technology, it is increasingly important to understand how best to manage emotions to drive connection and loyalty with consumers. Marketing leaders across industries are all working to gain a competitive edge in understanding and influencing consumer behavior, but need to understand that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach.
Your brand must connect with and engage diverse and complex consumers across segments. Because if you do not, you are missing out on key consumers that are imperative for brand growth now and in the future.
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What Surprised Us
Conventional wisdom is that the best ad steer clear of polarization altogether. This isn’t the case – in fact our research shows that 45% of the top ads actually polarize people both on emotions and on relevance of the ad to the consumer. Differing opinions on an ad’s content, its emotional resonance, or the people and issues it showcases don’t inherently diminish its effectiveness.
Understanding Emotional Polarization
With 72% of Americans advocating for brand engagement in social and political issues, the landscape demands attention. Various demographic segments express even higher expectations, signaling a shift towards values-driven consumerism. However, navigating emotional polarization doesn’t necessarily diminish performance.
The best ads use polarization in two ways: First, through the Halo Effect, by embracing common experiences underlying the expression of different cultural specifics, for example of multigenerational families, or love of sport. And second through the Kindling Effect, by resolving challenging diverging emotional responses in favor of the brand and its role in enabling resolution of these tensions.
Lessons Learned from Case Studies
Navigating emotional disagreement is a more delicate balance for brands. Just 18% of the top-performing ads are highly polarized on emotions. However, it is possible to turn negative sentiment to your advantage by leveraging the Kindling Effect, which harnesses powerful emotions triggered by an ad, to motivate consumer actions.
In examining case studies, we saw Bud Light’s attempt at transgender inclusivity resulted in backlash due to perceived inauthenticity in response to backlash. Conversely, the NFL’s ad featuring rising star Diana Flores navigated gender inequity successfully, driving enjoyment and minimizing backlash.
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Unlocking Cultural Insights with fluen.ci(SM)
Our fluen.ci application offers instant access to actionable cultural insights. With dynamic dashboards and category packages, fluen.ci empowers brands to understand consumer perceptions, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop growth strategies tailored to diverse audiences.
Understanding and navigating emotional polarization is essential for brands seeking authentic connections with consumers. Contact us today to gain additional, valuable insights and actionable strategies to thrive in today’s complex marketplace.