‘Mango Frooti Fresh ‘n’ Juicy“, “Mentos: Dimag Ki Batti Jala De“, “Kya Aapke Toothpaste Mein Namak Hai?”, you must have heard these taglines somewhere or the other. A lot of time, we remember the product not by its quality but by advertisement. For instance, People might not know soft drink Slice, but they definitely know that it is advertised by Katrina Kaif. Advertisement has diversified into our life like salt in water. In our day-to-day life, we see, hear and feel advertisements all around us. Knowingly or unknowingly, we are getting influenced by advertisements, and brands are successfully using the psychology behind advertising.
As a consumer, we should be aware of how the psychology of advertising works on our brain and what tricks brands have been using on us, which creates a sudden urge in us to buy the product.
Psychological Tricks Used in TV Ads.
1. Ads according to target audience
Have you ever seen a corporate office in a Surf excel ad? Have you ever seen 5-star hotels in a Maggi ad? No, you will never see a mismatched combination of ads with their target audience because advertising agencies know well who their target audience is and what kind of ad creative will attract them.
Maggi ads always target mothers, students, hostel life, bachelors, and friends. It is because, nestle knows very well that Maggi’s consumers are either, mothers, students who live in hostels, bachelors who live alone, corporate employees, etc. Therefore, in most of their ads, such characters are only highlighted. Maggi ad creatives are usually on the theme of “filling the void of togetherness”. Brand Knows well that how can they create a bridge between audience and product via an emotional poll.
2. Here’s the problem, Here’s the solution
Advertising begins with the feeling of lack. It’s very obvious that you’ll only buy something when you lack that. So how about advertising agencies showing you the problem, and the solution itself? Many brands like Colgate, Byju’s, Streax, etc. highlight problems, and then they come up with an instant solution. This immediately impacts the consumer’s mind of seeking solutions to the problem that was not even a concern to them.
This kind of ad targets problems that are usually ignored by consumers, but ads make those small problems, look so huge that consumers feel as concerned, and here hits the psychology of fear. If Colgate says that whatever sweets, you consume every day are causing cavities, then it immediately creates a panel of concern in the consumer’s mind, and they start seeking an immediate solution. Just after addressing the problem, Colgate says that “don’t need to worry, new Colgate has salt that keeps your teeth stronger and cavity-free”, then you can’t resist buying it. That’s how brands use “Fear of losing” to their benefit.
3. Connect with Humor
Humor is the best way to connect with the audience. The funnier the ad, the more engaging it’s going to be. Fevicol, 5 stars and Mentos have given us, some of the iconic humor ads of all time. Those brands have been crowned in combining humor with creativity to create a masterpiece. Humor also releases a kind of hormone that ignites the temptation of need or buying something.
Humorous ads are easy to circulate throughout, which spread way faster than the other genre of ads. More engaging, easy to spread message, faster approach and higher sales.
4. A Pinch Of Emotion
What is the best way of advertising? Advertisements attach emotions. An intellectual ad might forget once the information is taken and implemented, and the funny ad may corner down in our brains with time, but an emotional ad will stay connected with the audience for a very long time because people never forget emotional reactions. After all, emotion binds them tightest. Brands know this psychology, and they use this tactic in advertising which is proving to be a hit idea. A lot of brands like Dove, Bournvita, and Cadbury use this tactic in their advertising to connect on a higher level with their consumers.
Emotional ads connect directly with the heart of the consumer. It doesn’t show the problem, no solution, no humor, no business game, only and only emotions, where consumers don’t see business but connection. And such ads make a special place in consumers’ minds, not only from a business perspective but self-love, connection, and relatability.
5. Using customers for advertisement
Have you seen a few ads where customers themselves review the product with their own experience? Do you feel more reliable about the product when consumer review it by themselves? The answer must be right because the human mind feels more secure when someone with a similar experience shares their thought on it. Brands know this psychology very well and brands like a dove, and Lakme, use their customers as an advertising tactic to create a sense of assurance in the minds of those customers who are watching the ad.
Advertisements have a vast impact on us not only from a product point of view, but advertisement is highly responsible to mould our thoughts. Brands have mastered the art of juggling our brains in the circus of advertisement and very skillfully they use it for their benefit. Human Psychology is a very crucial segment in advertising, through which, a lot of big brands like Nike and Puma have named themselves on the top of the list of huge brands with gigantic successful campaigns.
