Memory fades, but will we really suffer the loss?

Take a second to think about which companies you consider some of the best in the world….

Is it Apple? Is it Microsoft? Is it Google? Is it Amazon? Is it Facebook? What are they?

In my NYU classes, we get asked the same question. These 5 companies tend to almost always come up in student responses…But can we take a second to think about why? Sure, these companies according to Statista are amongst the largest companies in the world by market value in 2019. But how do these companies manage to resonate with consumers to be considered as some of the best? One way is through emotional advertising.

Super Bowl 2020

As we all know, the Super Bowl took place on February 2nd. One of the ads that particularly stood out to me was Google’s “Loretta” ad. This is because of the use of emotional advertising, a theme common in Google’s advertisements. The company used emotional advertising to draw attention to one of Google’s services, called “Google Assistant”.

So, what was the ad about?

During the 90 second commercial, an old man thinks back to his memories during his lifetime with his wife, with the help of Google Assistant. He asks the app to show him photos of the couple, to remember certain qualities about his wife that were special to him, her likes/dislikes, phrases she would say, places that were special to the couple, and activities they engaged in together. The end of the ad shows that Google keeps what the man asked to be remembered on file, and is available for retrieval at any point. The main message that the ad is trying to bring across is that with old age, memory fades. Yet, Google won’t let it. There is a clear connection between the ad and the overall brand itself, as Google’s mission is about providing information that is easily accessible and useful.

The power of Emotional Advertising

Emotional advertising is a technique that pulls the audience in. As the audience watches this ad, it experiences certain emotions. This is exactly what we mean by emotional advertising. The emotion that the audience experiences is what may drive their purchasing behavior. This specific ad can bring up many different emotions for the audience, depending on who the audience is. For the elderly population, for example, it may bring up nostalgia. For a younger population, the ad may bring up fear, that their memory will fade with age. An old man missing his wife can lead to an experience of sadness. Google’s solution to the challenges of old age can lead to an experience of happiness. Whether it is nostalgia, fear, sadness or happiness, the emotion experienced by the audience can drive brand engagement. The nostalgic audience will want to remember their memories, the fearful audience will want to prevent losing access to their memories. The sad audiences will develop a positive perception of the brand because Google has shown them that it has solved the very problem that is making them sad.

Audience perception

The ad drove positive earned media. According to CNN, viewers have shared and commented about the ad, emphasizing how it even made them cry. As of January 28, the ad generated about 37 million views on YouTube, with almost 6k comments, one being “a great story people will remember”. This is a great example of earned media. I think that this content is shareable because it is a company everyone already talks about. The emotional emphasis gives the audience an even bigger reason to do so.

Reality

Google uses emotional advertising to make themselves appear friendlier, which entices users to use the product. What users don’t realize is that Google is in the business of data collection. Through Google Assistance, Google will collect data and will then sell the information.