About Face
The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising
By: Dan Hill
Published: October 28, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 212 pages
ISBN-10: 0749457570
ISBN-13: 978-0749457570
Publisher: Kogan Page
"With ever-gathering force during the past two decades, breakthroughs in brain science have confirmed what we all instinctively know in our gut but don't admit to in business: people are primarily emotional decision makers", writes leading authority on the role of emotions on consumer and employee behavior, Dan Hill, in his insightful and eye opening book About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising. The author describes the overwhelming case for utilizing emotional triggers in every aspect of marketing and advertising campaigns, and shares the concepts necessary to utilize emotional responses effectively.
Dan Hill explodes the myth of the rational decision maker through the use of cutting edge science and research. Despite evidence to the contrary, however, the much of the advertising and marketing industries have continued to insist that customers don't make their buying decisions based on emotional responses. Dan Hill demonstrates that emotions rule people's buying decisions every day. The rational reasons are only applied after the fact to justify that choice. Leading edge advertising agencies are already discovering the power of the emotional response, however. Through the research conducted by Dan Hill, advertisers can see readily which components of their advertising message is working. Perhaps more importantly, they can gauge precisely why the message, or parts of the message work on a deeper emotional, unconscious level.
Dan Hill (photo left) Understands that when a person makes an emotional response to a message, that person is also motivated to take action. With this fundamental concept in mind, the author provides a formula that assists marketers and advertisers in crafting the ideal communication format. The effective, emotionally charged message can be formulated as follows:
* Keep it simple
* Make it relevant
* Be memorable
* Focus on faces
* Always sell hope
* Don’t lead with price
For me, the power of the book is how Dan Hill shows clearly the critical importance of understanding the role emotions play in the buying process. For advertisers who relied on traditional communications channels and staying on message, the book serves as a true wake up call. Instead of staying on message, as previously practiced, Dan Hill urges advertisers to remain on emotion instead. This fundamental change in perspective changes the entire advertising and marketing landscape, from a rational model, to one based on the overwhelming force of emotions on human thought and decision making. The book is especially useful for creating an emotionally charged brand image, that will not only be memorable, but effective in a deeper and more personal manner.
Marketing to women has long been understood to be emotionally charged, and Dan Hill points to the effectiveness of that approach. He also recommends extending and enhancing the emotional marketing and advertising message to everyone, including both men and women. The good news, according to Dan Hill, is that creating an emotionally charged message should come naturally to advertisers. People can feel the emotional power of the advertisement naturally, and and on an intimate and very personal level. By trusting in the emotional impact of the message, marketers can achieve a more intimate relationship with their customers and clients. For the twenty-first century, Dan Hill provides the road map to a more successful and personally connected advertising industry.
I highly recommend the important and paradigm altering book About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising by Dan Hill, to anyone serious about understanding the crucial role made by the emotions in the buying process. This book provides the scientific background to support the premise, and the practical steps necessary to put the theory into practice. Dan Hill will change forever the way that you think about and approach marketing and advertising messages and communications channels.
Read the valuable and essential book About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising by Dan Hill, and enter the twenty-first century realm of emotion based advertising. You will move far ahead of the competition, and they will never even understand what happened to them.
