Creating emotional connections

Senior Strategist Michael Stephenson specializes in strategy and insights at our Columbus Office.  

The idea of creating an emotional connection with the user / customer / shopper is nothing new. Unfortunately, most brands fall short of this lofty objective. Many experiences just don’t strike the emotional chord that “Mad Men’s” Don Draper hits with his Kodak Carousel pitch (even if you’re not a fan of the show, you’ll like this video.)

Recently, I had my own Kodak Carousel experience with a brand. I found myself with some free time when I was in the field conducting shop-alongs. My daughter’s birthday was right around the corner, and I needed to buy some clothes to help round out her gift. Typically, I shop at Old Navy for such an occasion. I can get the basics without breaking the bank. This is especially important for a kid who’s going to outgrow the clothes in a few short months anyway.

Since I was in an unfamiliar city, I turned to my GPS to find how far Old Navy was from my location. I can’t recall how far away it was, but it didn’t make sense as it was in the opposite direction I was headed. Fortunately, Kohl’s was close by so I thought I’d stop in and take a look. Prior to this visit, I wasn’t much of a Kohl’s shopper…for myself or others.

I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. I was able to find something the princess would love (zebra print was her favorite at that time and I found an abundance of it there) and it was super cheap. I was shocked when I was handed the receipt and it bragged that I saved over $100 that day. But that’s not the best part!

Since I was proud of what I bought and how much I saved, I decided to check in on Foursquare and share the deal with my Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Within the hour, Kohl’s responded to my tweet with, “How sweet of you! I hope she loves what you got her.”

Imagine that. A billion dollar brand tweeting at me, telling me how sweet of a father I am, after a transaction that wouldn’t affect their bottom line one way or another. I’m not a very emotional person, but if I have one weakness it’s my little girl. And I actually felt special that the brand recognized me. I replied back with my appreciation. Sharing the cordiality and displaying proper Twitter etiquette, Kohl’s replied a second time.

This is a great tactical example of how a brand created an emotional connection with the shopper: something we encourage clients to explore.

Kudos, Kohl’s. You now have a regular customer.

-MS