In this age of stimulus and information overload, entrepreneurs are always seeking innovative ways to capture their audience’s attention and foster long-lasting relationships with their brand.
A 2020 study, Storytelling, the scale of persuasion and retention: A neuromarketing approach by Hamelin et.al delves into the world of neuromarketing to reveal how different storytelling techniques can significantly impact consumer attitudes and retention – offering valuable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their marketing strategies.
The BP-Hawksbill Sea Turtle Experiment
This experiment recruited 57 participants, who were divided in two groups and asked to read one of two different stories related to British Petroleum’s (BP) environmental initiatives – particularly its efforts to preserve the habitats of critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles.
This topic was strategically selected because of BP’s global brand recognition as both a polluter (e.g. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill) and a sector leader in environment protection (e.g. its Net Zero Carbon Target) – which could evoke cognitive dissonance among study participants.
The two stories were designed to contrast in their approaches to storytelling:
(1) The Affective Story: This emotion-based story was crafted to evoke emotional responses in the reader.
(2) The Cognitive Story: This thought-provoking story was crafted to engage the intellectual faculties of the reader.
Participants’ reactions were meticulously monitored through biometric data, including eye tracking, galvanic skin response (GSR), and facial expression analysis – providing the researchers with a broad understanding of participants’ engagement levels and emotional responses.
Key Findings
The results showed a significant, immediate impact of the affective (emotional) story on participants’ attitudes towards BP – demonstrating a faster and more effective change compared to the cognitive story.
However, the cognitive story led to a deeper and more lasting attitudinal change, suggesting that while emotional stories might trigger quicker reactions, cognitive stories result in more sustained engagement and consideration.
Gender differences were also explored, showing that the emotional story had a greater impact on female participants in terms of overall trust in the company. The emotional story was seen to hold people’s attention longer, irrespective of gender.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Although this is just one study with results that warrant further exploration, here are a few actionable insights for entrepreneurs to consider in the marketing approaches.
Strategic Use of Storytelling
Depending on your marketing goal—whether it’s immediate engagement or long-term brand loyalty—the choice between emotional and cognitive storytelling can be strategically made to enhance the impact of marketing campaigns, suggesting a more nuanced approach to storytelling in marketing.
Emotional Storytelling for Attention
Emotional storytelling can quickly alter attitudes and grab attention, making it effective for immediate impact. Use emotional elements in narratives for immediate attention and buzz.
Cognitive Storytelling for Trust
Cognitive storytelling leads to deeper understanding and longer-lasting attitude changes. Integrate cognitive elements for long-term retention and trust-building.
Emotional Stories Impact Women More than Men
Emotional stories have a greater impact on women, suggesting that tailoring the emotional content of your marketing material to your target audience can enhance its effectiveness.
Brand Loyalty through Cognitive Engagement
Cognitive stories, which encourage reflection and deeper thought, result in better retention of the message. This suggests that long-term brand loyalty is better achieved through a cognitive storytelling.
Try Neural Tech for Marketing Hypothesis Testing
The use of biometric data such from eye tracking, GSR, and facial expression analysis can help entrepreneurs create more tailored and effective advertising strategies. These technologies are increasingly more accessible and affordable for commercial use.
Citation
Hamelin, N., Thaichon, P., Abraham, C., Driver, N., Lipscombe, J., & Pillai, J. (2020). Storytelling, the scale of persuasion and retention: A neuromarketing approach. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 55, 102099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102099
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