The term ‘Brand’ always takes us in the direction of a product or a service. Just the mention of it might have immediately brought to your mind one of the iconic logos that is associated with your favourite brand or probably the tagline that is waiting to roll off your tongue. A brand is an identity, a mark, a logo or a sentence that companies use to distinguish their product from the rest. We are all continuously surrounded by brands- using them, wearing them, consuming them in every way possible.
According to a report published by Agility PR Solutions, just 23 percent of today’s consumers say they have a relationship with a brand which creates quite the conundrum for brand strategists, marketers, and PR professionals.
The experimental nature of the consumer creates more opportunity for new brands while it also keeps the established brands on the edge, pushing them to work and rework on their communication. No brand can get too comfortable in today’s highly competitive market as they need to constantly appeal to the consumers while keeping themselves relevant. This is where psychoanalysis comes in.
Sigmund Freud, who was an American neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, coined three theories about the human psyche- Id, ego and Superego. An individual’s feelings, thoughts and other complex behaviours are the result of interactions between these three and are developed at different stages of the human growth. Id determines our primitive drives and impulses; ego is developed from the id and it supresses the id. Superego holds together our ideals and gives us the understanding to distinguish wrong from right.
Psychoanalysis theories are a part of the consumer behaviour and determine an individual’s buying habits. Brands try to position themselves, in consumers’ minds, in a way that the consumer desires a brand.
All our planned and calculated decisions are made by the superego. Buying something which is a requirement and rationalising it by pros and cons is what superego does. Id is responsible for impulse buying and marketeers take good advantage of this through teleshopping as well as retail placements. Picking up chocolates while billing out is triggered by our id. In most situations, id, ego and superego work hand in hand and it’s difficult to separate one from the other.
Buying a car is a process in which the consumer recognises the need for a car and understands why they should buy a certain car. Superego encourages the comparison of different brands while id pushes to go for the best. Ego supresses the id and with the help of superego and ego, the customer makes a rational choice.
Marketers use appeals to connect with the consumer’s deepest wishes, fantasies, fears and desires which are all born from the interactions between the id, ego and superego. Here are some examples to understand this better.
This ad, created by ‘Children of the World (India) Trust’, sends a clear message of adopting a child, appealing to the wish of those who cannot reproduce.
Dairy Milk has always played on the desire factor which makes the audience crave for chocolate after viewing the advertisement.
This campaign by ‘Courage India’, vividly demonstrates the harm caused to the lungs due to smoking, appealing to the fears of smokers.
Consumer behaviour is a constantly evolving science. Earlier, the consumers were considered passive where the marketers made decisions for the consumers in terms of brand preference. However, the consumers are now aware and active. This has resulted in the evolution of brand communication. Something which works for certain brands and its consumers might not work for others.
Anything used in immoderation could result in the communication losing its appeal and, in turn, not getting favourable results. For instance, the images on cigarette boxes are often ignored because though they are trying to work with fear, it is used aggressively, causing people to overlook it. This is why brands need to be extremely careful about not overusing appeals and keeping it simple and as indirect as possible.
Psychoanalysis is a powerful tool for marketing, yet, it needs to be used after thorough understanding of the consumer to create an effective communication. Unless a brand does not appeal to a consumer in a way that the consumer feels a connect with the brand, there is little to no chance that the brand will stand out in today’s extremely competitive market.
Sakshee Kale || PGP BM&A
sakshee.kale@northpointindia.com