MAL33:19 MAL33 | Page 8

COMPLACENT MARKETING AI And The Emotional Connection: Selling Emotion Or Connecting With Emotion? By Diana Obath 2 019 has flown off the shelf like a product on high demand. It’s the festive season already and we are making plans for 2020. As usual, the season brings with it jolly moments that translate into impulse buying moments. Marketing professionals love Christmas and are always looking forward to the season to support the sales team meet sales targets and drive acquisition. The campaigns are ready and have already been rolled out. We are certain we know what our customers want. We have designed the best marketing bundles and reduced price. We know this is a time for impulse buying so we tag onto the customer emotions during this period. Family, friends, feeling of togetherness and sharing experiences takes center stage and we position our brands as the brand that gives all that. That’s easy and obvious; but what is it that our product or service does differently to really connect with the emotions of our customer during this period? Do we worry about what their fears may be during this time and offer a solution to make it easier for them to go through the season or do we just offer a package that will easily fit into the existing party and will be out by January? Myer, a clothing and apparel store in Australia has launched an interactive product in response to a customer trend. In its TVC, the brand addresses a unique query by one of its customers. A girl worried that Santa wouldn’t be able to find her during Christmas as she would be out camping with her family. She worries about receiving her gift from Santa. While this sounds like a simple problem to solve, convincing a child that Santa would What is it that our product or service does differently to really connect with the emotions of our customer during this festive period? Do we worry about what their fears may be during this time and offer a solution to make it easier for them to go through the season or do we just offer a package that will easily fit into the existing party and will be out by January? 06 MAL33/19 ISSUE find them anywhere in the world can be an uphill task. Myer’s therefore took up the task and designed an innovative and modern product to meet this concern. The fashion store launched a product that ensures Santa could find the girl through a unique Global Positioning Bluetooth- enabled stocking. Myers in their press statement states that they were able to empathize with the little girl’s concern since Australia is far from Santa’s ‘home’ in the North Pole, and families would normally not be home on Christmas Day. Traditionally, most families would be on holiday at the beach, camping, visiting friends or travelling, making it difficult for Santa to locate them and deliver their Christmas gifts. The special stockings would make Santa’s job much easier. The stockings even have a pairing device which can be paired with a smartphone or a tablet giving kids access to a platform with an interactive map for kids to follow Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve, allow them to communicate directly with Santa and put in their requests and letters, access Myer’s full range of toys to help them create the ultimate Christmas wish list and a Christmas countdown via twinkling LED lights on the stocking that change every night in the lead up to Christmas. This campaign creates a strong emotional connection with the season beyond a price reduction, BOGOF and an add-on. The stockings retail at $34.99, not cheap by any standard but would bring all the children to the store. Santa is the biggest icon of the season and getting a gift from