The Power of Emotional Advertising Appeals: Examining Their Influence on Consumer Purchasing Behavior and Brand–Customer Relationship

Abstract

Irrationality is a strong phenomenon in consumer behavior that significantly impacts final purchase decisions. Through holistic approaches, companies have become more oriented towards emotional experiences. This study investigates the emotional impact of Dove brand advertising appeals on the frequency and intensity of emotions experienced by Slovak consumers. A theoretical framework was created for the conceptual development of emotional appeals in advertising and their impact on irrational purchasing behavior. An online questionnaire was conducted using the scale of subjective emotional habitual well-being (“SEHP”) of the psychodiagnostic tool on a sample of 417 Slovak consumers. The results show that (1) advertising with emotional appeal has different effects on consumers’ purchasing behavior depending on their age, (2) advertising with emotional appeal affects consumers more negatively than positively, and (3) the use of emotional appeal in the advertising space creates an emotional connection with the brand. Our study shows that the current trends in the influence of emotional appeal can promote impulsive and irrational buying behaviors. Thus, consumers become part of the brand, creating an emotional connection between them. This connection can result in positive purchase decisions. Creating emotional appeal in cosmetic products also has social significance in building self-confidence, status, and beauty.