Mastering the expression of emotions is very valuable, when trying to communicate to an audience. When I produce content for Kappa Kappa Psi & Tau Beta Sigma, I try to include as many smiling faces as possible. On social media, promotional material, and in our national publication The Podium, we want to speak to the value we bring college & university band programs. We also want to showcase the value the brotherhood and sisterhood has on active and alumni members of the organizations. Showing the effects of our service is best done through showcasing our members and their joy.
When non-profits want you to care about their cause, they show the conditions they want to change. When that cause has a direct impact on people, photos of those people are used to evoke emotion by showing their emotion. Telling someone about the suffering of a group of people doesn’t have the same effect as showing their conditions and their faces. Seeing that will (hopefully) evoke empathy which will translate that visual into a positive action. Displaying the anguish of misfortune as well as the elation of relief draws viewers into that emotional journey. The goal is to draw you in and make you want a part in improving the quality of life of others.
People are prominent in commercials that sell you everything from soda to cars because they want to you want to feel. Companies want you to desire to feel the way the stars of that commercial seem to feel. They may pull at your heartstrings to sell you cereal or appeal to your sense of adventure to sell you a travel package. A wide of variety of products and services use the manipulation of our emotions to create new ambassadors for their brands.
Emotion can be evoked through color as well. Color psychology is an important concept in design and marketing. Red is considered a stimulant and used to evoke excitement. Black is usually used to showcase power and authority. There is a reason why a lot of “organic” or “natural” products are branded with the color green, which is considered the color of ecology. We feel color and are affected by what we see in all forms.
You always want to create and release content that stimulates the viewer in a way that motivates them to take action. Whether you want them to donate to a cause or order your product, knowing the power of emotions in marketing will serve you well.
~b.