Principles of Human Behavior in Advertising

Because of how our brains work—human instincts will play a central role in the success of your advertising. Science tells us humans make 95% of their buying decisions in the subconscious mind.

The human brain sifts through thousands of messages each day. It uses shortcuts—to pick up on anything that stands out, heightens our emotions, or catches us off guard—ingrained behaviors that came about many thousands of years ago to help our ancestors survive.  

Insights into human behavior help us understand what drives consumer decisions, why we respond the way we do, and how to make the most of the time businesses have with their prospective customers. 

We'll focus on proven principles of human behavior which can step up your advertising's impact and, ultimately, the success of your marketing campaigns.

In this episode we'll cover:

• 3 Behavioral Science Principles that Make Your Advertising Far More Effective
• The Von Restorff Effect 
• How to Put these Scientific Principles into Practice 

This is AudioPost Episode 7: Principles of Human Behavior in Advertising 

 

Full-text edition here: https://loyelmedia.com/make-ads-irresistible-with-these-science-based-hacks/

AudioPost is a business podcast written and produced by Loyel Media, where we help you leverage the power of media to market your business. 

Like what you've heard and find it helpful? Consider rating AudioPost or leaving a review. 

Episode Transcript

Narrarator (00:06):
A great ad has extraordinary power. But what
does it take to create one? Itstarts with a flash of insight
to light the spark that inspiresyour buyer to take action. The
key to generating an ad withthis degree of traction is to
work it up in reverse. Here'swhy.

(00:26):
Because of how our brains work,human instincts will play a
crucial role in the success ofyour ad. Science tells us humans
make 95% of their buyingdecisions in the subconscious
mind. And since we're hardwiredthis way, we can use what we
know about human behavior toreverse engineer an irresistible

(00:47):
ad.
Welcome to AudioPost from LoyelMedia where we talk about
leveraging the power of media tomarket your business. Coming up,
Principles of Human Behavior inAdvertising: Scientific Hacks to
Make Your Ads Irresistible.

(01:13):
The human brain instinctivelysifts through thousands of
messages each day. It usesshortcuts to pick up on anything
that stands out, heightens ouremotions or catches us off
guard. Ingrained behaviors thatcame about many thousands of
years ago to help our ancestorssurvive.

(01:34):
We use insights into humanbehavior to help us understand
what drives consumer decisions,why we respond the way we do,
and how to make the most of thetime we have with our
prospective customers. Here,we'll focus on 3 proven
principles of human behavior,which when used, can step up
your advertising's impact andultimately, the success of your

(01:56):
marketing campaign.
Three behavioral scienceprinciples that make your ads
far more effective.
Advertising is more engagingand, at the end of the day, more
powerful when it stands out,evokes strong feelings, and

(02:19):
surprises us. Well researchedstudies bear this out. So let's
look at how the human brainworks when your advertising
message pulls each of thesethree levers.
First, we're hardwired to noticethings that are different.
Humans will naturally focustheir attention on any item

(02:41):
which is distinguishable orstands out from a group of
similar items. Behavioralscientists refer to this as the
von Restorff effect, ourtendency to notice and recall
what stands apart from itssurroundings. This instinctive
behavior allowed our ancestorsto act quickly if they were to

(03:02):
scan the horizon and detectanything threatening or
peculiar. Say a wild animalemerges from a grove of trees in
the distance. Today, thisisolation effect might tip us
off to a car headed in the wrongdirection, an open parking space
in a crowded lot, anything thatbreaks the pattern surrounding

(03:22):
it.
Ads that stand out trigger thevon Restorff effect and are more
likely to be noticed andremembered. So set your ads
apart and break away from thecrowd. Consumers pay attention
to and remember what'sdifferent.

(03:43):
Next, we're hardwired to leadwith our emotions. Our early
ancestors relied on theirinstincts above all else.
If they were to stop andconsider all their options when
a threat approached, they'dlikely not survive. Even today,
our brains signal us to takeaction when we have a strong

(04:03):
emotional response. Weexperience emotions first, then
an impulse to act, beforerationalizing our decisions.
This is why ads that tap intosomething we feel strongly about
hit home and are more effective.So emotions before reason.
Strike a chord with youraudience.

(04:24):
Appeal to emotions early in yourads. Then follow-up with
supporting details that satisfytheir rational side.
And finally, we're hardwired topredict what happens next.

(04:45):
Surprise jolts our brains andpiques our curiosity.
This unconscious reflex helpedour ancestors anticipate risk
purely by intuition, like a 6thsense. When things aren't what
we expect, our emotions heightenand our brains focus harder. And
in this psychological state, ourmemory is stronger. Today, this

(05:09):
instinct might kick in when astory line in a favorite show
takes a sharp turn you didn'tsee coming. Maybe a commercial
reveals a popular product, usedin a new way.
The impulse to concentrateharder is automatic when
something unexpected happens,and the moment is more likely to
be stored in our memory andrecalled later. This is why ads

(05:31):
that take us by surprise havemore impact. So, avoid
predictability. Throw youraudience a curve.
Now, how to put these scientificprinciples into practice?
Businesses understand consumersmake intuitive buying decisions,

(05:53):
but are often at a loss abouthow to use this knowledge. After
all, if you could capture theattention of the people you care
most about reaching for yourbusiness and get better results,
you would. Right? Here's sometips to help you get started.
First, look for strongconnections.
The key to powerful advertisingmost often lies in how we as

(06:14):
consumers see ourselves. Forinstance, a person who considers
themselves a gourmet home cookis well aware that All-Clad and
Le Creuset are top of the linecookware. This buyer enjoys
cooking and relies on and iswilling to invest in higher
quality tools to further theirpassion. Turn your attention to

(06:35):
what your prospects andcustomers identify with and
value most that line up withyour product. Concentrate on who
your ad is for, what's mostcompelling to this consumer
that's in keeping with whatstands out about your product.
Next, focus on your gamechangers.
Zero in on any transformativefeelings your ideal customer

(06:59):
experiences when using yourproduct. Ads are more effective
and have a greater impact whenyour product reflects a strong
desire in your customer. Takethe outdoor enthusiast who feels
plugged into an elite sportingcommunity when they buy high end
gear. You can inspire thisconsumer with an advertising

(07:19):
message that appeals to theirpassion for adventure,
perseverance, and belonging.
Brands use behavioral influenceslike these to motivate their
buyers.
Finally, see your value throughtheir eyes. Get to the bottom of
any emotions your productelicits. Look for clues in your
customer surveys, emails,interviews, product reviews,

(07:43):
social media comments, andwebsite submissions. This will
help to focus your thoughts anduncover a more novel approach to
that all important message thatresonates perfectly with your
customer.
Now, expand on this idea. Makeit more interesting, clear, and
relevant. Then present thisinformation in the most

(08:03):
compelling way you can.
Here's some key takeaways.
Research into human behaviorreveals instinctive responses
formed many thousands of yearsago that we still use today.
We can use science based ads inkey areas of marketing to drive
customer action.

(08:23):
Consumers are hardwired tonotice what stands out, lead
with their emotions, andanticipate what will happen
next.
To transform a powerful ideainto persuasive advertising, use
behavioral science principleslike the ones we've covered.
Frame your message in a way thatdifferentiates your product,
provokes feelings for the rightreason, and uses a fresh

(08:47):
approach to get attention.Consider how you might surprise
your audience to make them stopand think.
Are there emotional levers youcan pull to make your message
stand out, or prompt them totake action? Whether we remember
and respond to an ad has more todo with how our brains work than
the number of times we see orhear it. Your ad has more impact

(09:11):
at less cost when you expressyour idea in a way your
customers won't forget.
If you'd like to learn moreabout media strategy and how to
make your marketing morepowerful, check out episode 5:

Digital Media (09:27):
Fundamentals for Using It, where we cover steps
you can take to start usingdigital media in your business.
Thanks for listening toAudioPost from Loyel Media.
There's more information alongwith helpful links and videos

(09:48):
at loyelmedia.com. You'll alsofind articles with practical
tips and useful insights aboutleveraging the power of media to
market your business.