Emotional Advertising Techniques

Jaguar is teaching us an important lesson, and it's not what you think it is. When a legacy brand like Jaguar unveils a radical rebrand, it’s easy to jump to conclusions, and everyone seems to have an opinion. As a brand strategist, my role isn’t to deliver verdicts, it’s to ask the right questions. So when someone ask for my opinion about a visual rebrand I'll start asking questions about the strategy behind it. Questions that uncover deeper truths and empower clients to articulate their vision. So instead of critiquing Jaguar’s rebrand, let’s turn it into an opportunity for reflection. These are questions I would like to ask them before I share any opinion. The Strategy: - How do you honor your heritage while adapting to the future? - What’s the core of the DNA of your brand that should never change? - Who are your future customers you are evolving for? - What singular idea holds your products, identity, and customer experience together? The Logo and Visual Identity: - How do you want your visual identity to make people feel? - Does it evoke the energy and emotion your brand promises? - If someone removed your name, would they still know it’s you? - What makes your design unmistakably yours? - Are you following a trend, or setting one? - Does your visual identity help you stand out in your category, or does it blend in? The Campaign and Marketing: - What story are you telling with your campaign? - How does it connect emotionally to your audience and their aspirations? - How are you making the customer the hero of your story? - Are you borrowing from culture, or contributing to it? - How are you creating a cultural moment that’s undeniably yours? The EV Pivot: - What do you own in this new electric future? - What’s the unique value your brand brings to the EV market that no one else can? - Beyond the technology, what does the experience of owning your product feel like? - How does it elevate your customers’ lives? - How does your pivot to sustainability and innovation align with your larger brand narrative? The Big Picture: - Is your rebrand evolutionary or revolutionary? - How far are you willing to go to signal change while remaining authentic? - How does your rebrand show aspiration? - How does it make people want to be part of your world? Finally: Are you playing to fit in—or to lead? What’s your ultimate ambition, and how does Jaguar as a brand express that? As a brand strategist, I believe the most powerful insights come not from imposing opinions but from asking the right questions. Questions that make us pause, think, and uncover the truth of who we are and who we want to become. So, what questions would you ask to help them shape their next chapter? #brandstrategy

“70% of our marketing time is spent on recovering abandoned carts. On WhatsApp.” That was the single biggest takeaway from a customer call yesterday, for me. A French retailer selling bespoke fashion worldwide. Here’s what they told me: "WhatsApp messaging isn’t cheap. Everybody knows that. But we believe in the channel. We know it’s our best shot at being seen. At being heard. At carving a space right where our customers live, next to their friends and family.” So they stopped treating abandoned cart reminders like afterthoughts. Instead, they built campaigns that command attention. And I’ve never seen anything like them. 🔥 Campaign #1: The After-Dark Discount Window Instead of sending a routine cart reminder, they unlock a private discount window at 10 PM. Why? Because late-night browsing isn’t rational, it’s emotional. Customers who opt-in get an exclusive deal during this nocturnal shopping spree. 💰 Campaign #2: Shoppers Name Their Price They don’t shove a price at the customer. They hand over the pricing power. Shoppers reply with a price they’re willing to pay. If it falls within range, it’s approved. This campaign has the highest engagement numbers I’ve EVER seen on WhatsApp. 🎥 Campaign #3: Staff Wearing the Carted Item Forget static product images. They broadcast videos of staff members wearing the item, describing the fit and fabric. It kills doubts. It brings the product to life. It makes buying feel effortless. For every $1 spent on WhatsApp cart recovery, they make $30 back. Why? Because they treat every abandoned cart like a full-fledged marketing campaign. No lazy nudges. No generic messages. Every interaction, memorable. WhatsApp marketing is wildly profitable—if you refuse to take shortcuts

🔹 Spread Kindness—Even to Your Opponents 🔹 In business, as in life, we often encounter opposition. It might come from a competitor, a colleague who disagrees with our ideas, or even someone trying to discredit our work. The natural response is to push back, prove them wrong, or shut them down. But what if we chose a different path? What if we responded with kindness? Not weakness. Not passivity. But true, grounded kindness—the kind that stems from strength, not insecurity. Why Be Kind to Those Who Oppose You? Because kindness isn't just about being nice. It’s a strategic leadership trait. It shows emotional intelligence, maturity, and a long-term mindset. When you treat your "opponents" with respect and compassion, three things happen: 1. You disarm hostility. Most people expect resistance. When you show them unexpected grace, it often softens their approach. 2. You gain insight. Opposition isn't always personal—it's perspective. Listening to someone who challenges you can reveal blind spots, improve your strategy, or even create opportunities for collaboration. 3. You build reputation. People remember how you made them feel, especially during conflict. Kindness under pressure builds trust, credibility, and long-term influence. A Real-World Example I once worked on a project where a peer consistently challenged my ideas in meetings. It would’ve been easy to view them as the antagonist. But instead, I set up a one-on-one meeting—not to defend myself, but to understand their concerns. That conversation changed everything. We found common ground. We didn’t always agree, but we developed mutual respect. Months later, that same person advocated for me during a pivotal career opportunity. Opposition turned into alliance—because I chose understanding over ego. A Reminder for Leaders Whether you're in a boardroom, a startup, or a nonprofit—you're going to face friction. How you respond says more about you than about them. ☑️ You can protect your boundaries AND be kind. ☑️ You can disagree fiercely AND respect deeply. ☑️ You can be competitive AND human. In an age of polarization, kindness is a competitive advantage. So the next time you're tempted to "win" by tearing someone down, try lifting the conversation instead. It might be the most powerful move you make. #Leadership #Kindness #EmotionalIntelligence #ConflictResolution #ProfessionalGrowth #Teamwork #EmpathyInAction #LinkedInWisdom

You can’t demand loyalty. You can’t buy it. You can’t shortcut it. You earn it through tiny actions repeated consistently. And when leaders miss those moments, they lose the people who matter most — often without even realising it. Because loyalty isn’t built in bonuses, titles, or flashy culture programs. It’s built in the small, human moments your team feels every day. The ones you think don’t matter… but matter the most. And that’s where leadership breaks down. Not with bad strategy. But with quiet neglect. Here are the tiny things that silently build loyalty stronger than any engagement initiative you could design: 10 Tiny Gestures That Build Massive Loyalty 1️⃣ Remember the small things ↳ Birthdays. Family moments. Life outside work. ↳ Being seen matters more than being managed. 2️⃣ Say “thank you” — properly ↳ Not generic. Not rushed. ↳ Specific, sincere recognition builds pride. 3️⃣ Ask “How are you… really?” ↳ Most leaders ask the question but never hold the space. ↳ Your team knows the difference. 4️⃣ Give credit loudly. Take blame quietly. ↳ Your people judge you faster by your behaviour under pressure than by any speech about culture. 5️⃣ Keep the small promises ↳ You can’t ask for trust while breaking tiny commitments. 6️⃣ Guard their time ↳ If everything is urgent, nothing is meaningful. ↳ Respecting time is respecting people. 7️⃣ Celebrate progress, not just wins ↳ Momentum builds performance. ↳ People stay when they feel momentum with you. 8️⃣ Admit when you’re wrong ↳ Humility is a leadership superpower. ↳ It earns loyalty instantly. 9️⃣ Make space for quiet voices ↳ Loud doesn’t equal valuable. ↳ Your best ideas often come from the ones who speak last. 🔟 Lead with consistency ↳ Predictability builds safety. ↳ Your team should never have to guess which version of you is walking in today. Here’s what I’ve learned coaching leaders: 👉 Loyalty is never built in the big moments. 👉 It’s built in the tiny moments you think no one notices. 👉 And those moments determine who stays, who grows, and who gives you their best. The small things aren’t small. They’re the difference. What’s one tiny gesture from a leader you still remember to this day? ♻ Share this with your network if it resonates. ☝ And follow Stuart Andrews for more insights like this.

“Are you Karla?” Someone asked me that in my gym in Bali. But it’s also happened: → On a street in Manchester → In a bathroom in Amsterdam → At a wedding in Valencia → And again, in London, Paris and Glasgow Being recognised on the other side of the world is a surreal feeling 🥹 But every time it’s happened, it’s been because of one thing: Showing up on LinkedIn and building a meaningful & strategic personal brand. Each of them recognised me from photos. They had read my posts. And knew parts of my story. They were aware of my business journey. My marketing knowledge & expertise. My ADHD. My love for health and wellness. Where I've been- and where I'm going. When they saw me in real life, they felt like they already knew me. It opened the door for conversation. And immediately built trust and connection. That’s the halo effect in action. In psychology, when someone forms a positive impression in one area... They subconsciously assume you're credible in others too. It’s a powerful cognitive bias that works in your favour. Here's how I've seen it compound: → I share authentic, story-driven content → That builds emotional connection and authority online → When people meet me IRL, there's already trust → They feel safe enough to: Say hi, ask questions, share their own stories → Then they go back online and engage even deeper → That builds a stronger connection → And creates more inbound opportunities (from them directly or through referrals) That’s why building a personal brand is such a valuable business asset. It takes you from: > Silent lurker / unknown founder To: > Someone your dream clients already recognise & resonate with That’s why I don’t work with clients who just want virality. Trends and overused templates can get attention. But they rarely build connection. Emotion sells, so make people feel something. Don't believe me? The cold, hard data doesn’t lie: System1 found that emotional advertising is twice as effective as rational. It’s exactly why every LinkedIn strategy I create includes: • Real, raw storytelling • Intentional positioning • Deep emotional resonance • Value-led content that shows, not tells Client example of the halo effect in action: A founder of a high-growth agency spoke on stage at Cannes. It completely elevated their personal brand. Their ICP were: - Tagging them in posts - Engaging with older content - Visiting their LinkedIn profile - Connecting with & DM'ing them - Sending them PR & business opportunities Their offline presence fuelled their online credibility. And their online content pre-sold their value IRL. = true amplification and authority So if you're building a personal brand... Don’t just aim to “perform” online. Aim to connect online offline. Because perception comes first. With it comes trust, opportunities and growth! P.s. book recommendation: ‘Key Person of Influence’ by Daniel Priestly

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀. When was the last time you 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 something from an ad? Not just understood it, but actually felt a lump in your throat or a smile on your face? That’s what Coca-Cola nailed with their ‘𝗛𝘂𝗴 𝗠𝗲’ vending machine campaign in 2012. No coins, no cards - just a hug to get a free Coke. It wasn’t about selling soda. It was about sparking emotion. And it worked! Foot traffic around the machine skyrocketed. Social media lit up with shares and smiles. Why? Because touch triggers the release of oxytocin - the "bonding hormone" which builds trust and emotional connection. A study by the University of North Carolina found that even brief physical contact can reduce stress and increase feelings of security. Coca-Cola didn’t just dispense drinks, they dispensed dopamine. This is the power of emotional branding. It’s not about the product. It’s about the feeling you associate with it. Here's another great example of emotional branding: Spotify. They didn’t go the usual route with their billboards. No pricing. No tech specs. Just raw human emotion. Billboards like: “Be as happy as the guy who added 1,235 ‘I Love You’ songs to his playlist.” Or: “To the person who played ‘Sorry’ 42 times on Valentine’s Day - what did you do?” Funny. Relatable. Real. They weren’t selling features. They were holding up a mirror to our lives - with music as the soundtrack. The result? Massive online engagement. Word-of-mouth virality. And brand love that no performance metric can buy. In a world chasing attention, the brands that win are the ones that make us feel seen, heard, and understood. So here's the question - are you giving people information, or giving them a feeling they’ll never forget? #business #campaign #businessstrategies

How early is too early to start the hype machine? I get asked this a lot. ... Do you wait until the product is perfect, or do you start building belief before it’s even ready? Slate is still one of my favorite 2025 examples of pre-launch hype buliding. The EV startup backed by Bezos won’t deliver cars until late 2026, but they found a way to earn attention on their own terms. Slate went to Venice Beach with a single vehicle and a series of fake small business wraps. For five days straight you’d walk past a truck promoting things like The Feline Therapist, Witch on Demand or Taxider-My-Family. Each business had its own URL that eventually redirected to Slate’s reveal site. Influencers played along, Reddit ran with it, and people started asking the right question... who’s behind this? The strategy was simple but smart. Let curiosity do the heavy lifting. When the reveal dropped, the product story, a $20–27K modular EV where buyers start with a stripped chassis and build up with 100+ accessories, felt like the punchline to a cultural joke everyone had been in on. It paid off. Slate hit 100,000 refundable reservations in the first two weeks at just $50 a deposit. Not sales, but a serious pool of intent that most new EV brands would kill for. Not every brand gets this right. Jaguar tried to spark excitement around its EV future with a glossy rebrand that showed everything but the cars. It leaned too heavily on identity cues and abstract creative. The backlash was immediate. Sales collapsed by more than 90% in Europe within a month and the CEO stepped down. Why Slate worked IMO: → The EV market is saturated with heavy-handed advertising. Slate cut through with subtlety and humor. → Gen Z and younger buyers want to uncover things for themselves. This gave them a mystery to play with. → The stunt acted like a filter. If you engaged, you’re likely closer to a real customer. → Now Slate has a six-figure list of warm leads to nurture over the next 18 months. Done well, experimental marketing makes the brand real before the product ever hits the market.

In my new book with MichaelAaron Flicker, Hacking the Human Mind, we uncover how 17 of the most successful brands have used behavioural science. In the Kraft Heinz chapter, one of the biases we cover is pareidolia - our tendency to recognise patterns - especially faces - in random things. There’s a simple evolutionary explanation for this - back in the day, spotting faces quickly was essential for our survival. It’s a simple, but powerful instinct - and one that you can harness in ads, as a 2019 study by Gianluigi Guido from the University of Salento shows. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼? 154 people were shown pairs of print adverts. In each pair, one ad had objects that formed a face (pareidolia), and one didn’t. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱? In 80% of the advert pairs, participants paid more attention to the one that had a “face” than the one that didn’t. What’s more, when people only saw the adverts for half a second, they focused more on the “pareidolian” ads in 92% of the pairs. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂? If something looks like a face, we’re automatically more likely to notice it. Kraft simply applied this on their packaging by creating a “smiley-face” with a single macaroni (see below). But this principle isn’t just for brands - it can work in a range of settings. One of the brands I work with, Avanti West Coast, used this principle in their safety campaign. To make sure that safety messages were noticed they incorporated pareidolia into their creative. You can see the imagery in the carousel. The creative won ‘Best use of Market Research, Analytics and Insight’ at the Marketing Week Awards 2025. So, whether you want to draw attention to a brand or promote responsible behaviour, consider harnessing the power of pareidolia with a friendly face. 📙You can find out how brands like 𝗞𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 apply lots of other behavioural tactics in Hacking the Human Mind. Link is in the comments. 

An (exclusive) invitation ... to spend more money Just received an elegant grey box from American Express with a striking hourglass - beautifully crafted direct mail making its case for their Platinum Card. In today's digital tsunami of credit card offers this dimensional mailer stood out. It made me reflect on the psychology of exclusivity marketing: Physical > Digital Studies show direct mail response rates (5-9%) dramatically outperform email (1%). In a screen-fatigued world, tangible experiences create deeper emotional connections. The Exclusivity Paradox While everyone chases "premium" positioning (most credit cards now offer airport lounge access), true differentiation comes from masterful execution. This wasn't just another package - it was an experience. The Clutter Conundrum Credit card benefits have become commoditized: Points/miles ✈️ Lounge access 🛋️ Insurance coverage 🛡️ Concierge services 📱 Yet AMEX maintains its premium positioning through consistent brand storytelling and selective targeting. Key Marketing Insight: In a noisy world, sometimes whispering (through carefully crafted physical experiences) speaks louder than shouting digital offers. What's your take on exclusive marketing in the digital age? Has a piece of direct mail ever caught your attention? #Marketing #BrandStrategy #CustomerExperience #DigitalMarketing #DirectMail #FinancialServices #MarketingPsychology #CustomerAcquisition P.S. And yes, I appreciate the irony of posting about a physical mailer on LinkedIn!

Last week, we were hired by a large U.S. management consulting company to coach their directors who were transitioning into partner roles. These super-bright participants had excelled at top business schools and used their sharp analytical skills to solve complex client problems. However, as they moved into management, their analytical prowess became less effective and, in some cases, even obstructive in building strong relationships. Here’s what we discovered: these directors were using listening and interactions primarily as a means to problem-solve. They listened intending to identify, define, and analyse the client’s issues, then quickly offered solutions. While this approach served them well in consulting, it often hindered their ability to build the deep, relational connections necessary for business. Top 3 Takeaways with Action Steps: 1. Listen Beyond Problem-Solving: Please focus on emotions and values. When someone comes to you with a problem, go beyond summarizing details. Pay attention to the emotions, values, and strengths they express. This helps in building a more genuine connection. 2. Shift Your Approach: Recognize relationship needs. Understand that effective management requires more than problem-solving. It involves developing relationships, understanding others’ perspectives, and addressing their emotional and personal needs. 3. Practice Deep Listening: Practice naming the emotions and values you hear during conversations. This simple shift can transform your interactions from transactional to relational, fostering stronger connections with your team and clients. Warmth and connection are crucial as you grow into leadership. Are you ready to move beyond problem-solving and build meaningful relationships? #Leadership #Empathy #ActiveListening #Management #ExecutivePresence #Training