“The desire to own” often sits at the heart of most marketing ideas for brands. Social stratification often plays an important role in how these brands position themselves. Consumers experience different layers of emotional benefit over a product. They feel a strong sense of happiness from anticipation when first interacting with the product. That emotion was amplified and consumers felt a stronger sense of relatability after experiencing the product.
Difference between inspiration and aspiration
Knowing the difference between inspiration and aspiration can help in increasing brand consistency and awareness, but it is important to note the difference between the two. Consumers who are inspired are stimulated to do something thus triggering immediate intent to purchase. On the other hand, aspirational marketing appeals strongly to imagination, to each individual’s ideal self. When consumers look at the product, they should imagine themselves buying and using it to meet their psychological benefit. One of our campaigns with Nestle Milo– “I Just Loved It in” in 2018 sold the idea that to be like local athletes Joseph Schooling and songwriter Nathan Hartono, drinking Milo can help to power your success. This is an example of promoting aspiration with advertising within a brand.
How have brands adjusted their communication message?
Through the pandemic, brands have intensified their communication objectives to stay connected with their fan base and engage with customers by moving a previously product-centric approach to messages that relate to multiple societal issues. As more people hold on to their beliefs and values, they will be less willing to be defined by the brand’s overall tonality. Hence, their aspirations and motivations are set by themselves and not by external factors.
In fact, consumers are looking for the brands to play a different role to them. Brands have to be proactive to make the push for people to maximise their potential through encouraging self-realisation.
Inspiring your target audience is knowing them
To start knowing your target audience for your brand, thorough research has to be conducted to understand the behavioural trends of your target audience. This research can come in the form of focus groups, consumer before and after surveys or even ethnographic research. Ultimately, these facts have to provide credibility in backing up your claims and insights.
The most inspirational ads do not have to have a specific call-to-action, but the storyline tied behind the concept has to emotionally connect with the audience to be effective. Inspiration correlates strongly to placebo effect, in which consumers tend to associate with premium or status brands. Hence, it aims to empower and inspire that anyone can follow their passion and have the right to dream. Check out how Mashwire integrated an inspirational element and rebranded H-TWO-O with a #DareToDream manifesto.
Overall, marketers have to keep in mind that inspirational and aspirational marketing strategies both begin and end with understanding how consumers see the world. With that, brands can then intrinsically motivate consumers and convert them to long-term advocates. Engage us now in creating your next inspirational campaign!
