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Trinity S., Marketing Associate |
December 23, 2024
I. The Influence of Words on Choices and Action
From the moment you’ve started reading the first few words of this article, you might be thinking, “Now, what is this all about? How is this meaningful to me?” and other usual questions that pop into your mind when you encounter anything and everything that has words in them.
Long phone texts, sticky notes filled with mundane tasks, endless social media posts, street signs, and even the conversations we have with our friends and loved ones—all of these have words mixed to evoke meaning into our lives, one way or another. They determine how we feel at the start and end of every day. This article is no different, and I’ve come to share a few thoughts about the vast yet endless influence that words continue to have on my life.
I’m just one in a million people around the world who strive to communicate effectively for the sake of becoming not just a competent marketer but also a better person. I’ve had my fair share of triumphs and struggles when it comes to dealing with communication barriers and problems that go beyond determining the right words for a good tagline or even a simple paragraph for a short story.
This experience helps me appreciate how powerful language can be in driving consumer action—an idea vividly illustrated by a 1986 print ad that introduced the Apple IIGS. This ad introduced the “portable computer”–leveraged associations and comparisons to showcase the capabilities and versatile applications of the Apple IIGS computer across multiple domains. By drawing comparisons to iconic figures, the ad implied that the computer empowers users to explore their passions with the help of advanced technology. From its release, it initially performed well and even outsold the Macintosh for a short period despite its USD 999 price point.
The ad also encourages us to view the evolving Apple technology as a catalyst for personal growth and creative exploration. Nowadays, people take advantage of their products to pursue photography and video editing, among other recreational pursuits. Professionals and amateurs alike are promptly influenced by Apple’s endless pursuit of reducing the gap between machine and human creativity, a phenomenon growing more relevant with the relentless advancement of artificial intelligence (AI).
Brand identities are shaped foremost by the words of their founders. These are promises to promise change, provoke emotion, and leave a mark in our minds, formed to create a powerful influence on the way consumers should make decisions when it comes to buying their products or availing services.
At the end of the day—in this case, the end of the year—words have the intrinsic power of influencing each aspect of our waking life. The human language continues to connect us to different communities, cultures, beliefs, and experiences. When it comes to marketing certain brand identities and instilling messages, words can affect consumer behavior.
II. The Science Behind Emotional Language
Neuromarketing refers to the measurement of physiological and neural signals to gain insight into customers’ motivations and decisions that help inform creative advertising, product development, pricing, and other marketing areas. Studying eye movement, brain scans, and physiological tracking are just a few examples of tools or methods used for measuring important data.
The limbic system is a group of structures within the brain that governs emotions, motivation, the sense of smell, and behavior; it is also involved in the formation of long-term memory. It can be considered the emotional nervous system of our body.
Other interconnected components are the thalamus, hypothalamus, and amygdala, among other complex parts. Some may say that what we feel comes from the heart, but I believe that the brain is a beautiful organic construct where such things originate and develop throughout the years. The former only amplifies them to a certain degree that deliberately enhances such feelings.
When it comes to making decisions, the limbic system processes our emotions and memories, which more or less influence the choices we make in our lives. It’s a complicated process that may not always involve emotions alone but with the presence of environmental influences that are outside of our control.
Word choice in marketing is not just about semantics; it is about creating a psychological connection with consumers. The language used can trigger specific emotional responses by activating certain associations, memories, and feelings.
Like the previously mentioned advertisement, the names of key figures that people associate with passion and ambition were used to compare the IIGS’s efficiency and versatility when it comes to delivering an unforgettable technological experience. Using more common words like “celebrate,” “joy,” or “euphoria” can evoke feelings of happiness and satisfaction, making consumers associate these emotions with the brand. Conversely, words like “burden,” “risk,” or “fear” can trigger feelings of caution or anxiety, influencing the consumer’s perception and behavior.
By carefully selecting words that resonate emotionally, brands can establish a deeper, subconscious connection with their audience. When it comes to incorporating a bit of psychology in brand messaging, mentioning words related to cleanliness can make consumers associate a brand with trustworthiness, even when those words are not directly about the product. This technique is often used in advertising to subconsciously shape consumer behavior.
III. Types of Emotional Language That Drive Action
Emotional language in advertising and/or marketing takes advantage of the different words that can be associated with certain products or services, depending on the brand identity, industry, and target market.
Positive advertising utilizes words that evoke joy, hope, or excitement (e.g., “adventure,” “freedom,” “unlimited”). Positivity nurtures hope within people and appeals to their desires, aspirations, and goals. These typically aim to focus more on the benefits of using a product or service.
On the other hand, negative advertising rides on fear and urgency, reinforcing the popular concept of FOMO or “fear of missing out” with words that instill worry or urgency (e.g., “limited time,” “exclusive”). Other examples include targeting what’s lacking from competitors, highlighting risks, and demonstrating consequences that could occur should someone take a specific course of action. However, there are some ethical considerations in using fear-based language, such as balancing urgency with authenticity.
Other aspects also include incorporating trust and security using language that reassures and builds credibility (e.g., “safe,” “certified,” “guaranteed”). Building trust is a cornerstone of effective branding, particularly for industries like finance, healthcare, and legal services, where credibility is paramount. People aim to nip fear and nervousness in the bud and foster confidence in consumers when it comes to letting brands handle health, legal, or financial concerns.
Directly addressing consumers fosters a sense of intimacy and connection, making the message feel more personal and relatable. Personal and relational terms (e.g., “you,” “your,” and “we”) foster a sense of connection wherein audiences feel seen or valued. This approach is effective in nurturing customer loyalty that targets families or individuals who seek personalized solutions.
Each type of emotional language not only fulfills a specific consumer need but also strengthens brand identity. By strategically integrating trust-building, relational, and aspirational terms, companies can create different multifaceted communication strategies that resonate on both practical and emotional levels.
IV. Harnessing the Power of Words Everyday
As a marketer of Lexcode, I had the privilege of working alongside tenured employees who have shed light on the company’s services and brand identity. Working with various people with different life experiences and understandings of what Lexcode can and will continue to offer to its customers has led me to believe that the company itself takes on the identity of not just the CEO but also the dedicated employees who strive to uplift it against numerous competitors.
In a fast-paced environment and living in even faster times when AI has impacted the way people write and create relevant content, shouldering the responsibility of communicating the company’s intent within the constantly changing market continues to become less of a tedious task and more of a viscerally profound calling.
This unexpected calling, much to my surprise, is nothing that previous versions of myself expected to take up. Yet here I am, constantly riding to and fro on an invisible swing between progress and regress. This “power” comes and goes, and I have a long journey ahead of me when it comes to truly understanding and harnessing it.
For a chosen few, perfecting the language that marketers use to evoke feelings and emotions in people to make decisions is less of a power and more of an art form that is honed over time, demanding grit and effort. By seeing it this way, I believe overcoming such a challenging feat may seem more attainable than ever now.
For as long as I hear words of encouragement from my leaders, read inspiring stories from fellow employees, and gain insights from profound conversations with my team members, I am constantly reminded and surrounded by various muses, elevating their voices with words that will leave an everlasting impact on my life.
