How To Write Emotional Ad Copy

Emotion drives good marketing. Good marketing incites emotion for its intended customers. 

In his book, Building a Storybrand, Donald Miller says that deep down everyone wants to either survive or thrive. It’s a primitive human instinct. When we create marketing showing how products help people survive or thrive, we have a much better shot at success.

In Seth Godin’s book, This Is Marketing, he lays out the most common customer desires. All of these desires fall under the larger umbrella of survive or thrive. I adopted his list, added a few of my own, and lay them out for you here.

Adventure
Affection
Avoiding New Things
Belonging
Community 
Control 
Creativity
Delight
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Movement 
Friendship
Good Looks
Health
Learning 
Luxury
Legacy
Nostalgia
Obedience
Participation
Peace of Mind
Physical Activity
Power
Reassurance
Reliability
Respect
Revenge
Romance
Safety
Security
Sex 
Strength
Sympathy
Tension

When I build websites, ad campaigns, and write copy, I usually begin with this list. I get information on the target audience demographics (age, location, gender, interests, etc.) then try to step in their shoes. What do they want? I pick 7 desires from the list that could work. I whittle it down to 5, and then to 3. Then I choose 1, and use the other 2 from my short list of 3 to inform my copywriting. 

Try this out for your next project. When you find the key customer desire, wrote it on a sticky note and put it on your desk where you can see it. With every idea, ask yourself, “does this help people achieve their key desire?” If yes, keep it. If no, try again. 

Good marketing isn’t necessarily the most exciting or original. It’s just the most focused. 

Good luck out there!