The Emotive Consumer: Influencing Consumer Behaviour with Animated Explainer Videos 

Every marketing strategy aims to influence consumer behaviour. Whether the goal is to drive sales, increase brand loyalty, or generate leads, understanding consumer behaviour is crucial. The buying journey comprises many small and large consumer behaviours that can be influenced to shape the final purchasing decision or perception of a brand.  

Evoking emotions and tapping into a consumer’s feelings are key to influencing their behaviours throughout this journey. 

Have you ever made a decision that you knew wasn’t logical, but you still went ahead with it because it just felt right? That’s the power of emotion in decision-making. 

How a consumer feels towards something affects their thoughts, beliefs, and perception of a brand or product, ultimately affecting whether they take action. In fact, emotion stimulates the mind 3,000 times faster than rational thought, and 24 times more persuasive than rational thought,  making it a powerful driver to shape consumer decisions and behaviours. 

This blog will explore how evoking emotions shapes customer perception, drives persuasion and motivation, and enhances the memorability of your message. It will also discuss how animated explainer videos excel at evoking emotions, providing real case studies that show the power they have in influencing persuasion, motivation, and brand perception. 

How Effectiveness is Emotion in Marketing? 

When businesses invest in marketing based on meaningful human experiences, the outcomes are significant. Emotional connections can profoundly influence customer behaviour, driving loyalty, enhancing brand perception, and ultimately boosting sales.  

Don’t just take our word for it; look at the research:  

•  86% of consumers’ buying choices are influenced by an average of ten emotional needs, ranging from personal desires to bolster their self-worth to motivations to influence how others perceive them. 

• Harvard Business Review found that companies connecting with customers’ emotions saw significant growth. For example, a major bank introduced a credit card for Millennials designed to inspire emotional connection, resulting in a 70% increase in use among that segment and a 40% rise in new account growth.

• Campaigns containing only emotional content perform almost twice as well (31% vs 16%) as campaigns with only rational content. 

• Emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable to brands than those who are just satisfied.  

The Role of Emotion in Consumer Decision Making  

Now that we’ve explored the power of emotion in marketing and, hopefully, convinced you of its invaluable role, let’s dive deeper into what makes it so effective. 

How Are Emotional Motivators Used in Marketing?  

Emotional motivators are the deep-seated emotional triggers that drive consumer decisions. Marketing that leverages emotional appeals taps into these underlying motivations, making consumers feel a genuine need for a brand or product. 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that categorises human needs into five levels: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. Emotional appeals work by connecting with consumers’ emotional motivations at one or more of these levels.  

For instance, fear can be a powerful motivator, especially when safety and security are at stake. Advertisements for home security systems often play on the fear of burglary to encourage purchases, tapping into the psychological need for safety. 

A study: What Are the Key Emotional Drivers That Impact Customer Value?

If you’re interested in this topic, Harvard Business Review has conducted a fascinating study on emotional motivators. Using big data analytics, they identified the key emotional drivers that significantly impact customer value across various categories. The study found that the following ten motivators are particularly influential: 

SOURCE Scott Magids, Alan Zorfas and Daniel Leeman 

FROM The New Science Of Customer Emotions, November 2015 

How Can Emotion Shape Customer Perception?  

Customer perception is a critical factor that influences buying decisions and brand loyalty. It refers to how customers view and interpret a brand, product, or service based on their experiences and interactions.

Research indicates that 95% of our purchasing decisions are influenced by subconscious factors, including customer perception. This underscores the importance for marketers to understand and shape these perceptions effectively to drive purchases.

 Emotions play a pivotal role in influencing customer perception. 

Emotions affect customer perception through association.  

A more psychological term is affective conditioning 

Affective Conditioning is described as transferring our feelings from one set of items to another. It is commonly used in advertising and is the belief that if you advertise your product with things the public associates with positively, it will sell better.  

Imagine an advertisement for a new coffee brand. Cosy living room, crackling fireplace, soft tunes, and a happy family sipping coffee. Those warm, fuzzy vibes? They transfer to the coffee brand. So, when consumers see the coffee in stores, they associate it with feelings of warmth, comfort, and happiness.  

How Can Emotional Appeals Persuade Customers? 

Emotional appeals are a cornerstone of persuasive marketing.

By tapping into emotions, marketers can influence customer behaviour and decisions more effectively than through logic alone. Techniques like storytelling, vivid imagery, and emotional triggers (e.g., fear, joy, nostalgia) can create interesting narratives that persuade customers to take action.   

Why Is Emotion So Memorable?  

Extensive psychological research and countless personal experiences show that events occurring during intense emotional states—like fear, anger, or joy—are far more memorable. 

 Whether it’s the thrill of a rollercoaster, the stress of an important exam, or the joy of a celebration, these heightened emotions etch those moments deeply into our memories.  

When we experience emotional events, our brain’s amygdala kicks into high gear. Brain imaging studies have shown that the amygdala lights up during these moments, enhancing our attention and perception. This little powerhouse not only helps us encode memories more effectively but also boosts memory retention by releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones heighten our arousal, making those emotional moments unforgettable.  

This is why emotional marketing is so powerful. By tapping into customers’ emotions, brands can create memorable experiences that influence their buying decisions.

Even if customers don’t continue down the buying journey immediately, the emotional impact ensures they remember the brand and are more likely to return at a later date. 

Do Animated Explainer Videos Leverage Emotion to Influence Consumer Behaviour? 

Animation plays a crucial role in shaping consumer attitudes by engaging both cognitive and affective processes.

It is a powerful tool in advertising and marketing due to its ability to capture attention, evoke emotions, and simplify complex messages. Animated content stimulates viewers’ cognitive responses (thoughts and beliefs) and affective responses (emotions and feelings), which in turn influence their behavioral intentions (actions). 

For a deeper dive, check out our blog, “The Science & Psychology Behind The Effectiveness of Animated Content,” where we explore: 

• The science and psychology of how animated content generates awareness through its unique ability to grab customer attention.

• How it leverages storytelling to evoke emotions, which in turn affect behavioral outcomes.

• How animation impacts learning and memory.

Not in the mood for a deep dive? No worries! Here are a few quick examples of how animated content excels at influencing consumer behaviour: 

• Animated Explainer videos simplify complex concepts

Animated explainer videos excel at influencing consumer behavior by using clear, concise messaging and visual metaphors to simplify complex concepts. This significantly reduces cognitive load, making it easier for viewers to understand and appreciate the benefits.

Additionally, these videos increase germane cognitive load, which is the mental effort invested in processing new information into long-term memory. A study published in Education and Information Technologies found that animation  significantly enhance learners’ germane cognitive load. This means that animated explainer videos not only make information easier to understand but also easier to remember. As a result, the message sticks with consumers,  persuading them again at a later date 

• Animated explainer videos leverage storytelling. 

Stories can build trust and credibility by showing rather than telling. They use emotional appeals to create a deeper connection. By weaving emotions into the narrative, stories make the message more relatable and memorable, ultimately persuading the audience more effectively.   

 If you’re curious about crafting impactful stories for memorable campaigns, check out our blog on our approach to design-led storytelling.     

• Animation persuades  through relatable characters

The principle of persuasion known as “liking” plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of animated explainer videos. According to Robert Cialdini, people are more likely to be persuaded by individuals or entities they like.  These videos often feature animated characters designed to be relatable and likable, which helps to build a connection with the audience. By using friendly and engaging characters, the videos create a sense of familiarity and trust. This likability makes viewers more receptive to the message being conveyed.  

Case Studies from Our Clients  

Positive perception Through Affective conditioning  

This animated explainer video for Tate & Lyle uses bright colours, along with a soft voiceover. The gentle voice evokes feelings of calm and trust, making the message soothing and credible. The bright colours are often associated with warmth,  joy and enthusiasm. Through affective conditioning, these associations of credibility and joy are transferred to the brand. 

Persuasion Through Likeable Characters  

Xaxis needed an internal video to engage their young, global staff. We used animated characters, which are inherently likable due to their nostalgic connection to childhood. This aligns with the principle of liking, making the audience more receptive and engaged with the content. 

Creating Lasting Impressions Through Emotional Engagement  

ECPAT International aimed to educate the public about the impact of statutes of limitations on survivors of child sexual abuse. We crafted a video that evokes sadness through poignant music, a concerned voiceover, and dark purple visuals (color often associated with sadness and frustration).   These elements work together synergically  to instil a sense of sadness in the viewer, ultimately making the explainer video both impactful and memorable. 

Using Emotional Motivation to Influence  

With The Big Issue Foundation, the challenge was to connect viewers with the brand in a way that transcended their typical perception of a street vendor. The video fosters a sense of belonging and community by illustrating the shared struggles of daily life, connecting people through common experiences. This approach helps viewers feel part of a larger community. Additionally, it taps into the human desire for ongoing self-improvement by emphasising that giving can be easy and impactful. 

 Conclusion 

Leveraging emotions is a powerful strategy to influence consumer behaviour. By tapping into deep-seated emotional triggers, brands can create memorable and persuasive content that resonates with their audience. 

Whether it’s building trust through likeable characters or creating lasting impressions with visual storytelling and emotional engagement, animated explainer videos excel at using emotion to influence consumer behaviours. 

 Want to find out more? 

If you’d like to discover how Content Creatures’ strategic approach to creative content marketing could elevate your next video campaign, why not book a meeting with our strategic partner? Find out more and take the first step towards creating impactful content today that captures attention, persuades, and drives action.