April 16, 2025 | Vol. 93
The Role of Emotional Appeal in Advertising
When people make buying decisions, is it emotion or logic that drives them?
The answer is: both — but overwhelmingly emotion leads the way. Estimates show that 90–95% of purchasing decisions are emotion-based, with logic only stepping in after the fact to justify the decision. That’s also when buyer’s remorse can kick in.
According to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, author of How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market,
“95% of purchasing decisions are subconscious.”
In an Inc. article, Zaltman added:
“Emotion is what really drives purchasing behavior — and decision making in general.”
It's important to note that I’ve shared these facts in sales training sessions and have often been met with skepticism. It seems to be uncomfortable for some to admit that something as important (and expensive) as a purchase might be based on emotion. It can feel irresponsible. Also, some people suggest that saying emotion has that much control is a manipulation and that it can't be true.
But here’s the truth: humans are emotionally driven beings. We might rationalize our decisions, but we rarely make them rationally.
Years ago, I worked in financial planning, selling life insurance. The main driver behind that purchase? Love. There is no purely logical reason to spend money on a product you’ll never use — unless there is deep, emotional care for someone else’s future well-being. Remove emotion from that situation, and the logic falls apart.
So, how do we apply this in advertising?
If humans are driven by feelings and if you want the consumer to remember your product or service, you have to make them feel something. They must be engaged and impassioned by the interaction with your company.
Colby Flood, in his article 18 Emotional Marketing Statistics, compiled powerful data that supports this idea. He goes beyond the facts and figures of marketing and gives 18 statistics that address what we are talking about. Here are just a few highlights:
Products Showcased by Benefits vs Features Drive 57.5% More Purchases
Ads with emotional content perform 2x better than rational-only ads
70% of people who experience a strong emotional response to an ad are likely to purchase
Negative emotional appeals can drive 32% more clicks than positive ones
Repetitive ads can cause a 16% drop in purchase intent
Handwritten thank-you notes can improve customer retention by 50%
Content that evokes anger has a 38% chance of going viral
These stats should get your attention. Emotional triggers work — and they work at scale.
The Creative Matters — More Than You Think
How important is the creative in advertising?
Study after study confirms: it’s critical.
According to Nielsen:
86% of sales lift in digital ads comes from strong creative
Google says 70–80% of marketing effectiveness is tied directly to creative quality
So yes, your creative — the message and emotional appeal — isn’t just part of the campaign. It is the campaign.
This is why understanding buyer motivation is essential.
Here are 3 Key Areas You Must Consider:
Use these categories to shape your message in a way that resonates deeply:
Pleasure - Joy:
In what ways does your product or service bring pleasure to the buyer?
In what ways does your product of service bring feelings of joy, satisfaction, or enjoyment.
Social Factors:
How does your product or service connect to social proof?
Does it help people feel included, admired, or “in the know”? When we see a lot of people doing something, we assume it’s the right thing to do.
Is FOMO - Fear of Missing Out a consideration with your product or service?
Situational factors:
There are two main situational factors – triggers and barriers.
Triggers are about timing – customers are more likely to purchase at certain times, and less likely at other times. Think about the pain your product solves for customers. When do they feel it the most?
What barriers are in the way — whether real or perceived?
Have you removed every bit of friction and uncertainty? Even minor doubts can kill conversions.
Straight Talk from the Crazy🤪:
If you’re crafting marketing messages that don’t make people feel something — you’re making it harder than it has to be. Emotion isn’t the enemy of effective advertising. It’s the engine that drives it.
If you’d like to explore ways to increase emotional resonance in your advertising, I’m always here to brainstorm.
Until next week, keep chasing better. —Jim
