Question

• An executive experiences indecision after brain surgery, even though his intellect is in tact, but his emotions have changed. What role do emotions play in decision making?

Answer 1

Emotions have tremendous capacity for action and can allow customers to interpret messages that they would not understand correctly in a particular way, and if marketers want to cut through the noise and refine advertising to drive action, they need to give far more thought to the power of emotion. With the unconscious mind being able to process 500,000 times more information every second, the emotional feedback can be decoded faster than the conscious mind. Diminishing spans of attention mean this is important. For us more emotional information isn't difficult, it involves us unconsciously.

Emotions are a part of a continuous cycle of cognitive evaluation and feedback. This cyclical 'loop' shows that feelings drive a lot more decisions than just those focused on firm opinions. This method of assessment has evolved for our survival. It is not only how to behave but who to trust that forms the basis of our decision. At its heart lies emotion. When the emotional link is given priority by a brand, they will open a customer to new concepts, drive behavior and create trust.

Emotions are evaluations of circumstances which drive survival and well-being. If a message does not make us feel anything, then it is impossible that we will act on it. With any decision, therefore, we need to think of emotions as guidelines without which there will be no consumer action. Brands are working against an ever-increasing noise wall, but knowing the science behind emotion will help us play more intelligently, drive new insight, and provide a framework for more complex content and user experiences.