A recent study by the Bureau of Market Research (BMR) at the University of South Africa (Unisa) found that television advertisements that evoke primary emotions (essentially non-conscious pleasurable or repulsive states of arousal), are remembered more readily than less emotional advertisements.

It was found that emotions play a fundamental part in decision-making, particularly in television advertising where promoting an image or general perception, rather than functional attributes, is commonly used.

The BMR study investigated the influence of emotions among approximately 200 television advertisements. Specific emotions that were largely present in 25 % of the most emotive advertisements included contentment (pleasure) and surprise (amazement, astonishment). According to Prof Pierre Joubert, research professor at the BMR, emotive television advertisements are likely to reflect a warm or caring, cute or adorable, happy or fun-loving, relaxed or comfortable, cool or laid back and conservative or traditional tone. Emotional advertisements were also associated with gentle, honest, relaxing, positive, warm, calming, and caring feelings.

The BMR study also revealed that emotive advertisements differed from less emotive advertisements by displaying lower levels of familiarity in the advertisements themselves.

The BMR study also shows that emotive television advertisements tend to include more devices displaying scenic beauty, established brand cues, children, animals and vignettes, but fewer auditory devices with spoken taglines. Emotive television advertisements also tend to use significantly more music linked to the main message to create an overall positive mood.

Footnote: Emotionality In Television Advertisements (Research Report no 373) was compiled by Prof Pierre Joubert (Professor: Bureau of Market Research). The report is available from the Bureau of Market Research, PO Box 392, UNISA 0003.