A Marketer's Guide:
Changing Behavior
Key Insights and Best Practices to Influence and Change Consumer Behavior
Most marketing is based on rational thought. Yet research has shown that as much as 90% of all consumer behavior and purchase decision-making stems from the unconscious mind. Leveraging emotional drivers, as well as both conscious and unconscious motivational triggers, is necessary for any marketer seeking to change established behaviors — or create new ones.
CORE CHALLENGE
The ability to change and influence consumer behavior can make or break a brand
ENGINEERED SOLUTION
Utilizing the right emotional & motivational triggers drive behavior change
KEY PRINCIPLES TO CHANGING BEHAVIOR
- Look for cultural cues that provide a deeper understanding of how consumers are engaging with your brand
- Borrow elements of the challenger brand playbook for expanding audiences and usage occasions
- Emulate cult brands by developing habits, rituals and routines that drive repeat purchases and loyalty
INSIGHTS & BEST PRACTICES
In this democratized era of content creation, marketers must be willing to give up a certain amount of control over their brands. For example, marketers of college sports, which have some of the most fanatical fan bases in the world, advise leaning into the positive aspects of ritualistic behaviors that the brand might not have chosen itself.
When tapping bloggers, influencers and content creators, it is often best to start locally and on a small scale.
Challenger brands are known for their willingness to embrace new channels, audiences and marketing techniques. Traditional brands can borrow these same ideas to challenge conventional notions of when, where and how consumers will engage with their products.
CASE IN POINT
When developing marketing partnerships, look for brand partners with their own built-in cult followings to multiply your fan base.
TOOLBOX: What are your brand CHARMS?
One of the hallmarks of cult brands is their ability to inspire consumers to engage in fanatical (and sometimes outlandish) behaviors. But you don’t have to be a cult brand to act like one. The Shipyard’s Chief Creative Officer David Sonderman explains how all marketers can borrow proven methods of cult brands and generate more of those desired behaviors by embracing the principles of CHARMS.
- Creed: A creed is used by brands to codify their belief system in a way that everyone can instantly interpret. A well-articulated creed will inspire a multitude of actions.
- History: Every brand has a starting point in the form of an origin story. Origin stories are powerful when told in the right way.
- Archenemy: Mac versus PC. McDonald’s versus Burger King. Marvel versus DC Comics. Who are your biggest rivals, and how can you leverage these rivalries to become more dramatic and compelling in your storytelling?
- Rituals: These are the behaviors we adopt instinctively around brands and share with other people. Corona is associated with the lime wedge garnish and summer drink occasions at the beach.
- Marks: These are the symbols we use to self-identify with brands almost in a tribal fashion. The Green Bay Packers are synonymous with foam cheese heads. Chick-fil-A is forever linked to an image of a cow.
- Secrets: These are used to make people feel like they are part of an exclusive club. In-N-Out Burger has a secret menu. Jeep has a secret wave among its model owners.
Download the FULL guide
The Marketer's Guide to Engineering Brand Love
