Lovemarks Campus

Research from the University of Mannheim analyzes the antecedents and consequences of brand passion that leads to high emotional consumer-brand relationships.

This doctoral thesis by Nicholas Paul Thompson investigates the manner in which consumers maintain brand relationships, and the effect that chosen lines of communication (i.e. social networks, word-of-mouth) have on the value of these relationships. Air New Zealand is the brand primarily referred to in this study.

Research from the University of Bath’s School of Management “explores the psychology behind the processing of emotion and attention, and presents a ‘hierarchy-of-processing’ model which shows how advertising can influence brand choice without the need for informational persuasion or high attention.”

The online world is no longer an option in advertising but a fundamental part of a holistic strategy. A recent study by Teixeira, Wedel and Pieters discovered that the success of online campaigns often comes down to how they make use of two emotions – surprise and joy.

The participation band wagon rolls on in adland with agencies and clients seeming content to sacrifice effective communications in the name of ‘doing something on Facebook’. So how do you get it right?

Kevin Roberts narrates the history of Diesel’s bold approach to communications, and their messages full of humor, irony, and constant reinvention. ‘Diesel: XXX Years of Diesel Communication’ is a lavishly produced volume featuring the iconic and controversial work of such groundbreaking photographers as David LaChapelle, Erwin Olaf, Ellen von Unwerth and Terry Richardson.

Publicis Groupe is a vital European presence in world advertising and this story outlines the main stages in the process by which the Groupe was formed – tracing its roots back to Volney B. Palmer in 1842. The beautifully presented book also gives an overview of the creative networks that come under the far-reaching umbrella of the Publicis Groupe and illustrates some of the legendary campaigns that they have produced.

Research undertaken in the 1980s investigated emotions and subconscious thought processes in relation to advertising, but failed to gain widespread uptake. Gordon (2006) revisits this work and finds it is scientifically valid and informative for marketing initiatives.

Kevin Roberts shares his view that many clients use research as a crutch. Instead of making sound judgments, many businesses gather and analyze information when trying to reach a conclusion. This is the wrong approach. As Kevin explains, research needs to be used to generate insight and spark creative thinking about how to engage with consumers emotionally.