Advertising Psychology: The Effects of Advertising on Consumers
Advertising has become a ubiquitous part of modern life. Everywhere you look, you are likely to find billboards, banners, or other forms of visual communication trying to sell you something. Companies use advertising to persuade potential customers to purchase their products or services. But how does advertising actually work on consumers? How are these messages interpreted, processed, and stored in the human brain? This article seeks to explore the psychology of advertising and the effects it can have on consumer behavior.
When a consumer encounters an advertisement, the first thing that happens is that the consumer takes in the visual information presented. This visual information is then processed by various parts of the brain, including the medial temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. The consumer may then make an instant decision as to whether or not they like the advertisement. This decision is then stored in the consumer’s memory and becomes part of the consumer’s long-term brand perception.
Advertising also has an impact on the consumer’s emotions. When a consumer sees an advertisement, it can evoke an emotional response. This emotional response can be positive (e.g., excitement or joy), or negative (e.g., frustration or sadness). This emotional response has a powerful effect on how the consumer perceives the brand and ultimately, the product or service being advertised. For example, a consumer who is exposed to a positive emotional response from an advertisement may be more likely to purchase the product or service being advertised.
Advertisers also seek to create an affiliation between the consumer and their brand. This is done by using positive language, such as words and phrases that emphasize the consumer’s ability to make a good decision, or that suggest that the product or service will result in an enhanced quality of life. For instance, many advertisements will emphasize that the product will make the consumer feel happier, more attractive, or more successful. This type of language encourages the consumer to feel connected to the brand and thus more likely to purchase the product or service.
In addition to the emotional and affiliation-based effects of advertising, advertising can also alter the consumer’s attitude towards the product or service being advertised. This is done by using language and images that emphasize the product’s or service’s benefits, and by highlighting the potential risks associated with not purchasing the product or service. By presenting information in this way, advertisers can effectively change the consumer’s attitude towards the product or service, and thus increase the likelihood of a purchase.
Finally, advertising can have a powerful influence on consumer behavior by creating an illusion of control. This can be done by presenting a scenario in which the consumer has control over the purchase decision, such as by using words such as “you” and “your” in an advertisement. By presenting the consumer with this illusion of control, advertisers can make it more likely that the consumer will purchase the product or service being advertised.
Overall, advertising has a powerful influence on consumer behavior, and advertisers use a variety of techniques to influence consumers. By understanding the psychology of advertising, marketers can create more effective advertisements that have a stronger impact on consumers.
