Design as an Emotional Foundation for Marketing
Are you a designer or a marketer in a product or a service-based company? At Hevo Data, we designers frequently hear the term “marketing,” and marketers frequently hear the term “design.” The two teams typically work together because design and marketing are strongly intertwined. This blog will take a look at how design is crucial for effective marketing.
Before we dive into design and marketing, let’s talk about branding. If marketing and design are the two oars, then the brand is the boat that we are trying to row together. Marketing and Design are the two tools that have the power to help people form a connection with a brand.
A brand isn’t something you can see. A brand is a feeling. It evokes emotion.
Branding is a process of evoking that emotion. Branding is more than just a logo or a color palette; it is about unifying a great product or service with its value and identity through design and strategy. That unity will foster trust, reputation, and love for the brand.
Marketing and Design
An integral part of marketing includes connecting people and the organization through a specific brand identity.
Design is essential to achieving marketing goals and is especially crucial to define the brand.
The importance of design and marketing in business success cannot be overstated. It can clearly be seen when we examine the Marketing funnel.
The Marketing Funnel
There are three stages defined in the Marketing funnel. They are as follows: top of the funnel (ToFu), middle of the funnel (MoFu), and bottom of the funnel (BoFu).
Every stage has a different goal. The goal of the top of the funnel is to raise awareness of the product or service. The middle of the funnel converts awareness into consideration, and the bottom of the funnel causes people to make a purchase decision.
Design is inevitable at each and every stage.
To create awareness at the top of the funnel, we mostly use methods like blog posts, marketing campaigns, participating in or conducting events, social media posts and advertisements, and so on.
Case studies, e-books, emailers, newsletters, webinars, and so on are used in the middle of the funnel.
At the bottom of the funnel, there would be comparison pages, demos, trial pages, testimonials, and so on.
At every step, the design of the various elements comes into play. Whether it is a social media template, an e-book cover, or a website landing page, the visual effect of a marketing effort would have a critical impact on the conversion rates and outcomes.
IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN IN MARKETING
Design is the face of marketing. Marketing campaigns, social media advertisements, events, E-books, newsletters, landing pages, websites, emailers, and so on all come to life through their design. Design generates excitement among people, which is the first requirement for a successful marketing campaign.
Marketing design is the process of visualizing a marketing effort. The raw landing page text document transforms into a functional and polished landing page. The raw social media copy transforms into a post clearly communicating the intent.
If we want to put it simply, attracting customers is the most important aspect of marketing. Marketing communication is vital in attracting customers. Here is where design comes into play. Design enhances the attractiveness and emotional appeal of marketing communications. It helps in enticing and motivating customers to purchase a product or service.
The abundance of material in the market makes it tough for end users to assess an advertisement or print medium. We need to appeal to them on a more instinctual level.
People may have diverse personalities and qualities, yet they all have a connection; emotion.
Emotions play a pivotal and significant role in how we live. Brand loyalty is often decided through emotion rather than a very specific, logical reason for the choice.
According to the book “Emotional Design” by Don Norman, three levels of emotion explain how people react to a design or a visual:
- Visceral Emotional Design
- Behavioral Emotional Design
- Reflective Emotional Design
Visceral and behavioral are subconscious levels of emotion, while reflective is the conscious level.
The most basic level of emotion is visceral. In marketing, this is where design plays a crucial role. Our visceral reactions are rapid, direct responses to what we observe. That sudden reaction is mostly based on the visual that is displayed to promote a product or service. The decision on whether they should focus on it or skip it is made in a split second.
People will move onto the behavioral and reflective stage only if we can convince them at a visceral level. The design experience is also important at these stages, as emotions at the behavioral and reflective stages are affected by the usability and user experience.
The design makes the marketing communication more innovative and direct, providing the audience with a great visual experience. As a result, it quickly convinces the audience.
The influence of design on marketing lies in boosting consumer comprehension and retention and guaranteeing harmony across all marketing efforts.
This article doesn't intend to be a debate between marketing and design. Rather, it highlights how the two complement each other. Making a successful product/service requires a clear marketing plan and innovative design. Marketing and design work together for business success.
