By Kristen Coconis
As an undergrad at the University of North Carolina, my goal was to become a clinical psychologist. I did everything one has to do to get into a great Ph.D. program: doing research for years, becoming a teaching assistant, taking the GRE (twice, ugh), etc. But as my senior year drew to a close, I felt myself getting burnt out on school. I needed a break, so I applied and was accepted to Teach For America (for the record, teaching 2nd grade cannot, in no uncertain terms, be considered “a break,” but I digress). And as TFA drew to a close, I decided to get into advertising. I knew my psychology background was useful in the field, but when I was asked in an interview how I could apply it to advertising, I fumbled with my words until settling on a vague phrase about “understanding people.” Yikes.
So I brushed up on my psychology, reviewing Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This theory is depicted below as a triangle, with each need supporting the one above it. Basically, Maslow theorized that all humans have the same five needs, from most basic to most complex:
- Physiological: Need for food, water, shelter, air and clothing
- Safety: Need for security and stability
- Love and Belonging: Need for family, friends, partners and affection
- Self-Esteem: Need for confidence, prestige and feeling unique
- Self-Actualization: Need for reaching your full potential
According to Maslow, these needs have to be fulfilled in order (i.e., once your physiological needs are met, then you can start meeting your safety needs, and so on). There are valid criticisms of Maslow’s theory, but it’s still useful for identifying different approaches to target consumers. The five ads below offer to fill each of Maslow’s five needs, respectively.
In addition to reviewing Maslow, I researched literature on the relationship between psychology and advertising. I gathered the following tidbits:
- Being memorable—for better or worse—does not mean an ad will change consumers’ behavior
- At the end of a television commercial, it’s better to use a logo than type, so that the brain doesn’t have to switch from processing images to text
- Emotional appeals and implying everyone else is doing it work
- High contrast and texture change encourage consumers to focus for longer
- Repetition works because it makes it easier for the eyes and the mind to process (and easier = better liked)
- Ads vary in effectiveness based on how consumers define happiness
- To young people/people who focus on the future, happiness = excitement
- To older people/people who focus on the present, happiness = calm/relaxation
- To Euro/American youth, happiness = high arousal
- To Chinese youth, happiness = peacefulness
- For quick purchases (snacks, drinks, etc.), less information on the label is better
- Colors and shapes affect perception of a brand
- Utilize the Gestalt Principles
In summation, psychology informs us as to what consumers 1) need, 2) value (based on culture, age, etc.), and 3) find appealing. This knowledge is key to advertising effectively.
Kristen Coconis is currently a Design Intern at 88 Brand Partners