Consumers buy things with which they establish an emotional relationship and that make them feel personally identified in some way. Therefore, it is worth asking the following question: if emotions drive us when making decisions and influence what we buy, could it be possible to relate the origin of those feelings to the actual process of purchasing something?
What’s certain is that experts are starting to realize that happiness is directly linked to consumption. We could say that we purchase to feel happy, even though the happiness we achieve may be fleeting. In this sense, we’ll explain below the relationship between the feeling of happiness and the buying motivation that sometimes occur in an individual; this is a correlation that brands should be aware of.
Emotional Relationships
If there’s one thing that has been demonstrated in recent years, it is the bond between what we consume and what we don’t and how those things influence our emotions. Based on this precept, we can deduce that – as consumers – we buy objects for which we can feel an emotional or sentimental thrill, as we connect in some profound way with the brand, the idea, or the product itself.
Numerous studies conducted by specialized psychologists compile the conclusions derived from extensive consumer research. The drawn conclusion proves that the most rewarding thing for the end user is to buy experiences instead of tangible products; this is because the result of buying a new experience usually has a more positive impact on the consumer. In other words, a person may feel excitement at the moment of purchasing a physical object, but the expiration date of that feeling is short-lived. On the other hand, if the same person enjoys a specific experience, the consequent memories and joy extend over time, making the purchase much more gratifying.
The Power of Experience
Personal experiences have much lower potential for comparison and complaint in contrast to the act of purchasing a product, since comparing the experience of different individuals proves to be quite challenging. Hence, it can be easily understood that buying a trip, a meal voucher, or a movie ticket has a personal and unique touch, making this type of purchase completely different from the rest.
A Success Story: Coca Cola
Through the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, the company has been able to create a unique experience, different from others available among the customers. The Coca Cola brand was good at recognizing and analyzing the current attachment to new technologies (smartphones, social media, etc.), and consequently focused their entire campaign on the digital realm to reach the widest possible audience.
The goal of the campaign was to bring the brand’s flagship product (Coca Cola cans) closer to its customers by providing each individual with a personalized can featuring their name imprinted on it. The final objective was to achieve closure with customers while promoting the campaign on social media. The ultimate outcome of the brand was extremely successful, as over one million personalized Coca Cola bottles were sold.