The Use and Consequences of Emotions in Social Media Campaigns Utilization of emotions in social media campaigns is definitely a fool proof way to get started
By Naresh Arora
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We are a species unabashedly guided by our emotions, and this is unsparingly evident in our progression as a society. The thrust on connections, bonds and emotions have been the cornerstone of human interactions- be it in the real world or the virtual! Social Media with its fancy number games and calculative analysis adheres by the human emotional quotient and its manifestations, as is visible in the nature of its connection sharing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, among others. That is because the use of emotions to make a genuine connect finds resonance, even in the digital world.
Successful Campaigns
Over the course of past few years, successful social media campaigns have managed to set standards of connection, becoming the mouth piece for issues and depicting the social, cultural and even political mood of the times, they reflect. All this would not have been possible by waving the data analysis wand or by investing in figures. The mighty success of such campaigns speaks a lot about the stellar combination of emotions and science! For instance, American household products giant, Procter & Gamble launched "The Talk' campaign in 2017, addressing racial bias in American society through a 2 minute video, featuring Black mothers who encourage their children to not let the prevalent bias define their sense of being and identity. Understanding the sensitivity of the issue and its relevance, this campaign was carefully crafted around finding strength in one's own abilities and was propelled forward through the sentimental value attached to a mother's concern in preparing her child for the future to come. The result- an instant hit, it was applauded for a fresh take on giving a counter narrative to the subject of racism.
Yet another example of a social media campaign gone viral is #WomensMarch in Washington. Set against the backdrop of an unpopular President elect in America and his unapologetic misogynist streak, protests of his inauguration on Facebook acquired explosive proportions. Soon enough, all corners of America resonated the sentiment of disapproval, resulting in pouring of womenfolk in Washington. Even though, this campaign did not start as a social media undertaking, the sentiment associated with it, made it acquire a social media campaign status, with idea of a march gaining momentum only through social media sharing and participation. Women march through the streets of Washington, propelled by a social media campaign gone remarkably huge and the world echoed the sentiment with sister marches all over the globe.
Importance of These Campaigns
Hence, the underlying idea of both the mentioned examples is to bring forth the importance of channeling right emotions through social media campaigns. An emotional connect with the target audience is what drives home the campaign. Any campaign which focuses on establishing an emotional connect with its viewers results in high engagement with the campaign, but depending solely on the emotions isn't advised. A great campaign needs both the right emotional thrust and the analytical backing.
The consequence associated with the use of emotions in social media campaigns is that the profound connect with target audience helps in building successful campaigns. Content which strikes a chord with viewers is promoted and shared much more than others, resulting in such campaigns being rewarded with higher human interactions. As was the case with the above mentioned "The Talk' campaign, the sense of inclusivity highlighted through this undertaking scored high in terms of sentimental values upon which it was built. This value in turn deeply connected with the Black community not just in America, but the world over, promulgating a powerful message of self belief, stemming out of the emotions felt while viewing the campaign, especially in the wake of a deeply polarized social and political situation in America, with the coming in of President Donald Trump. The result of the emotional connect with "The Talk' earned it an Emmy nomination and 1.9 billion media impressions. The success of emotionally rich social media campaigns itself proves the importance of using emotions to make a successful talking and rallying point out of an ideology!
Thus the utilization of emotions in social media campaigns is definitely a fool proof way to get started, but a heady combination of both science behind the algorithmic functioning of social media and the emotions invested in campaigns is the mantra for success in this ambit!
