Emotions and logic: The role each plays in consumer decisions

Ask any consumer psychologist, and they’ll tell you consumer decisions are rationalized using two human responses: emotion and logic. 

In our conversations with experts, we learned that these responses don’t work exactly as most people think. It’s typically thought that decisions are based on logical thinking, but brain science works according to a different theory — one that states human emotions are the main motivating factors in driving behavior. This isn’t to say logic has no influence on consumer thinking; when consumers commit to a product or service, the last thought before purchase is rooted in reasoning. 

After so many talks on the subject, we found ourselves wondering just how much of an impact emotion and logic have on one another. Aparna Labroo, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing with the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, spoke to us about the interconnection between emotions and logic, how the two show up differently in consumers and how to base your marketing strategies around each concept. 

To start off our conversation, we began by asking Labroo just how much influence emotions and logic have over one another. 

“Emotions serve as signals to help us place value on different products, and they prompt us to act quickly or slowly. They can guide us to the right kind of thoughts or decisions,” Labroo said.

Successful product marketing is heavily dependent on your ability to influence consumers. This is done by angling your product or service in ways that effectively articulate how consumers will benefit from engaging with you. Labroo says how you articulate those benefits largely depends on how your audience receives information. Are your consumers more likely to rely on thoughts or feelings?

The way your product makes a consumer feel and/or how it aligns with their thinking can greatly affect customer perceived value. Considering no two consumers are the same, focusing on differences in their needs will help you determine whether emotions or logic connect with your customer. 

“Marketing is all about segmentation, targeting and positioning. Look at the broader set of consumers and segment them into different groups (how much money they have, who the purchase is for), and your messaging will vary based on that information,” said Labroo.

Because emotions and logic are interconnected, you can appeal to various areas of the brain by incorporating both feelings and rationality into your marketing without overwhelming the dominant motivations of your customers. 

“Even among consumers who rely more on feelings, you can have an ad for a car that brings in safety concerns — negative things,” said Labroo. “We know that humans feel losses more than gains so you can speak on their fears and give them reasons why your car is the best option.”

It’s not only the consumer that determines the mode of decision-making, it’s also the product. Take a car for instance; it’s a large investment and is designed to be taken very seriously. 

“A car is a very high involvement decision. If there’s a consumer who is facing financial hardship, then logic might play a bigger role in their choice,” said Labroo. “Same thing if the product is being purchased for someone. When someone is making decisions for another person, you feel more responsible for them.”

Emotions and logic are power players in the world of decision-making. These two work together to guide consumers in making sound decisions. While you can’t separate the two, each can be highlighted to support the experience you want your customers to have.