Contrary to popular belief, consumers aren't as smart as they like to believe. Many consumers report comparing multiple competing brands and prices when evaluating a purchase. However, research indicates that this is not actually the case. What consumers really think or feel often contradicts what they say. A big reason is that they are driven by unconscious urges, the biggest of which is emotion.
Emotion is what really drives the purchasing behaviors, and also, decision making in general. Good marketers keep in mind this important fact all the time, and examples of emotion-based campaigns are everywhere. Think for a moment, what is actually being sold in most marketing campaigns? Luxury goods target our feelings of self-worth, acceptance, and status in the world. Communication devices excite us by offering a connection to friends, family and a broader network of people. And many other products, such as rings, target emotions related to love and relationships.
As marketers, we should focus on the features of the product, but we must also sell the lifestyle and the feeling. The key is to highlight the emotional response a consumer will have by using the product. To achieve the highest emotional response, we should target our consumer through many different senses. A lot of what drives consumers is subconscious behavior. But this isn't a bad thing. There's nothing manipulative about helping consumers achieve desired states of emotion.