Executing Emotive Marketing

In 1959, the W.D. and H.O. Wills team sought to introduce a new cigarette brand, Strand, to the British market. They allocated a substantial budget for television and magazine promotions and enlisted renowned advertising executive John May to spearhead the campaign.

Capitalizing on the popularity of dark film noir, May crafted a concept featuring a cold, desolate London street. The main character, portrayed by actor Terence Brook, exuded a brooding Frank Sinatra vibe while smoking a cigarette. Accompanied by the haunting melody of "The Lonely Man Theme" by Cliff Adams, the ad concluded with the line, "You're never alone with a Strand. The cigarette of the moment."

The execution was artistically impressive and garnered significant attention. Public awareness of the brand skyrocketed to over 90% within weeks, a remarkable feat noted by Winston Fletcher in Powers of Persuasion: The Inside Story of British Advertising 1951–2000.

However, this campaign is often cited as one of the most significant failures in British advertising. The overwhelming emotion conveyed was loneliness, as the solitary figure on the empty street did not inspire connection. Despite the tagline, the imagery suggested isolation, and even the name "Strand" evoked feelings of being stranded.

Ultimately, May's focus on creating an artistic piece overshadowed the need to drive sales, resulting in dismal purchase rates—only 0.3% of men and 0.7% of women chose to buy Strand cigarettes.

The Emotion-Driven Purchase Decision

Emotions play a pivotal role in influencing buyer behavior. A study analyzing 1,400 successful advertising campaigns found that those with purely emotional content performed nearly twice as effectively as those relying solely on rational arguments.

Savvy marketers have a knack for crafting emotional connections, even in seemingly unrelated contexts. A prime example is Procter & Gamble's (P&G) campaign during the 2010 Winter Olympics. While there is no obvious link between P&G and the Olympics, every Olympic athlete has or had a mother.

P&G cleverly made mothers the focal point of their campaign, presenting them as the unsung heroes rather than the athletes themselves.

This approach resonated deeply with the audience, showcasing the power of emotional storytelling.

Harnessing Fear for Impact

Marketers can also effectively use negative emotions, like fear, to drive campaigns. In the 1980s, amidst growing concerns about AIDS, misinformation was rampant. Market research in Australia revealed a lack of understanding regarding the virus, with many believing it only affected specific groups.

To combat this, the Australian government launched a fear-driven awareness campaign that changed perceptions. Striking visuals underscored the urgency of the message.

The campaign ran for just three weeks but yielded impressive results. The AIDS Hotline received 327% more calls, and clinic attendance doubled, with significant increases among demographics that previously felt immune.

"Other countries had failed in their AIDS education because heterosexuals weren't listening," noted Siimon Reynolds, the ad's creator. "We really had to wake people up."

A Second Chance for Strand

Determined to revive their cigarette brand, the W.D. & H.O. Wills team rebranded Strand as Embassy, changing the packaging while keeping the product inside the same. This time, they adopted a completely different marketing approach.

The new commercials depicted a man at a party, initially ignored until he revealed a pack of Embassy cigarettes, which instantly made him the center of attention. This shift in messaging conveyed themes of popularity, success, and social connection—emotions that consumers longed to experience.

As a result, Embassy became the best-selling cigarette brand in the UK during the 1960s.