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Emotional appeal in advertising is known as Emotional Selling
Proposition (ESP). A brand thrives when it forges powerful emotional bond with
consumers. Emotional appeal makes consumers have intimate relationship with
brands. Since a brand comprises emotional and physical attributes that appeal
to the consumers’ minds and hearts, the use of emotional appeal inspires and
moves them into action.

Recently, brands tend to utilise emotional appeal more to
resonate with consumers. Though one does not have any empirical data to support
this claim, the way such communication campaigns inspire the audience cannot be
underestimated.

Over the years, some brands have deployed emotional appeal as a
platform to build connection and sustain brand loyalty. Through this, consumers
assume ownership of the brand and they build their lives around it. Such brand
provides desired emotional benefits for the consumers. This goes a long way in
making brands evoke feelings in consumers, which ultimately influence their
purchase decision.

Emotional appeal is a powerful thing and it creates a lasting
bond between the consumers and such brands. When the Skye Bank campaign broke
some years ago, it was one that made a unique connection with consumers. The
campaign was one that not everyone believed it revolved round a financial
institution. It was a total departure from selling service and products
offerings to the consumers. It was one that significantly leveraged emotional
appeal to arouse consumer’s interest.

It is also worthy of note that successful brands thrive because
they offer consumers something that they want and need, something that is
beneficial and relevant to their lives. This should be the thrust of any brand
campaign that is hinged on emotional appeal. This is because many consumers
increasingly use brands as a means of self expression. This was the scenario
when it was discovered that several people downloaded the Hakuna Matata song
used in the Skye Bank advert as ringing tones.

Resonance with audience

The Skye Bank campaign on Hakuna Matata, meaning ‘no worries’,
is one that resonates with the target audience, as it identified with the
yearnings and aspirations of the consumers. Hakuna Matata later became a slogan
for several people, even when they pass through life’s challenges. It is an
emotional appeal that clearly tells the consumers, ‘no matter what happens, do
not worry’. The bank hinged on this appeal to assure customers of its readiness
to make banking a stress-free activity for them. With this strong emotive
platform, the bank was able to capture the minds of the customers.

The bank, basking on the success of the Hakuna Matata campaign,
further reinforced its brand message through the ‘Say Yes’ campaign. This is
one that seeks to tell the audience in clear terms that they should be positive
in life. The bank positions itself as a worthy friend to the customers, sharing
their dreams, and telling them it is only Skye Bank that is a true friend. The
platform is hinged on Emotional Selling Proposition, which evokes feelings of
the consumers to have positive spirit all times. The radio jingle ‘I wish I
have a friend, saying Yes to My Dreams’ became a sing along for everyone.

Succinctly put, the consumer can have possibilities if only he
or she thinks about it. He should just believe everything about his life is
possible when he says YES – which means he should just believe in himself and
his potentials. The campaign, even though now rested, is one that really leveraged
on the impact of emotive appeal that can be forgotten in a hurry. The new
campaign tells the audience ‘How Can We Say Yes To You’. This also positions
the bank as a dependable friend that can shoulder the burden of the cosumers.

Diamond Bank is also joining the fray of leveraging on Emotional
Selling Proposition to reach out to all segments of the society.

Though Emotional Selling Proposition goes the extra mile in
building brand loyalty and creating emotional attachment with consumers, it
should also align with the brand promise. Such campaigns can only translate to
success when consumer experience of the brand brings satisfaction and
fulfilment.