In a sea of never-ending advertisements, click bait and sponsored posts. There is very little left to prick our interest. Unless you know how to give us the goosebumps, laugh out loud and maybe even shed a tear, in general, our interest is fleeting at best.
Case in point, John Lewis or John Lewis and Partners as they are now known.
Where others rely upon shock tactics, play on vanity and insecurity. John Lewis has seen the value in the feel-good effect. Playing on nostalgia and just generally coming across as a compassionate bunch they’ve tapped into the British sensibilities of ‘it’s nice to be nice’ and actually. Making people feel good probably is what we need in a never-ending barrage of terror and unfavourable political media coverage.
What’s most clever about connecting emotionally with the customer is the longevity of the relationship. We’ll hold onto that feel good uplifting moment if it makes us feel just right.
Think the Bohemian Rhapsody at the school play ad. It makes us feel a certain way about the brand associated with it. That ad has zero to do with John Lewis stores, their products or offerings. It does, however, incite us to babble in a positive way about them, meaning actually when we do need to purchase we’re far more likely to venture there.
They know they aim to make customers feel good in store as well as purchase. By reaching out via the medium of advertising to make the customer feel good just because instantly connects with them. They actually sell you the bit you can’t buy, not the products you’re bombarded with everywhere else.
Now that’s intelligent marketing. The feel-good memory reflex remains and we want to feel that way again and again. Before you know it, you’re in there, feeling good and spending your money.
Clever stuff.