The Power of Emotion
Comments(1) When an organization focuses its marketing efforts not purely on product, but on a portrayal of emotion, consumers are driven by affection. It is that emotional reaction that can prove to be more appealing to a consumer than the physical product itself. The National Hockey League this past spring did a remarkable job of “selling” the emotionality of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a series of TV advertisements. They focused their efforts on appealling to loyal and new fans alike, and on the amount of emotion, heart and dedication the players feel during their relentless fight to win professional sports’ most difficult trophy.
They differentiated the value of playoffs from the regular season. The NHL regular season is 82 games over five months. That is a lot of hockey to be played in a short period and not every game is the very best quality. The regular season is a grind, 30 teams all have one goal is to make the playoffs. It is during the playoff run when the best players in the world prove themselves, do anything to keep their teams alive; fight for 16 wins over two and half months, and ultimately hoist Lord Stanley’s cup.
Playoffs are a different breed, its when inspiring story lines develop, heroes emerge, and cities come together.
Personally one of my absolute favorite things about the media surrounding NHL playoffs is the footage captured of the player and fan’s emotional responses. CBC annually creates an inspiring montage of this footage, and for fans young and old, especially in Canada, it’s hard not to get shivers when these are watched. It’s a visual display of grown men playing the game they love, chasing a dream they’ve had since they were kids on the frozen pond in the backyard or on the street playing ball hockey. The passion and excitement that players, coaches and fans have for the playoffs is contagious, and the NHL has done an exceptional job of recreating and selling those emotions in its promotional ads!
Great work on the blog, Wyatt. Good connection between the social influence factors and the product and how the NHL and franchises are selling it to us. It’s a long season and we’re getting fatigued by the brands by the end and they need to re-engage us. It’s also one of the best ways, emotional hook, to bring in the playoff-only viewers.
Consider adding a subheading to your blog title to reflect what your blog is about e.g., marketing and hockey or something that reflects your online brand personality.