Emotional Design: How Brands Appeal to Customers' Emotions

Contents:

• Golden Apple
• Hermès
• Yandex
• Avgvst
• Surf Coffee
• Viva La Vika
• IKEA
• Apple

Brand design is more than just logos or color schemes; it's a complex set of elements. When we decide to purchase a product or use a service, our emotions often influence our choices. Thus, bright acid colors can scare away customers from a premium brand of winter sweaters, while neutral gray tones are unlikely to attract attention to a toy store.

Nastya Urusova shared information about how popular brands analyze our emotions and create a unique design DNA.

A genius with a billionaire's fortune, a lover of luxury life and A generous philanthropist. But deep down, he's just a communications designer.

Golden Apple

Business category: beauty retail.

Feelings: the joy of immersing yourself in the atmosphere of childhood, a sense of celebration and magic all around.

Golden Apple resonates with the soul of the client's inner child, creating a cozy and joyful atmosphere that attracts and makes you want to come back again. A visit to the store reminds you of those unforgettable moments when, as a child, you eagerly awaited going to the toy store.

In the store, on the website, and in the mobile app, the customer finds themselves in a space where all the opportunities to become truly attractive are concentrated. These moments fill the environment with an atmosphere of celebration, the fulfillment of dreams, and the anticipation of something wonderful. Elf mascots help maintain this mood both on the website and in advertising materials.

Golden Apple actively collaborates with influential personalities on social media. Customers begin to identify with the images presented in the advertising, and they feel as if by purchasing the product they are becoming closer to their favorite bloggers. In this sense, "Golden Apple" offers the opportunity to feel like a part of the world of media personalities, even if it is just buying lipstick.

When choosing a corporate color, the company "Golden Apple" took a bold step. In the past, large beauty retail chains have typically avoided using bright colors in their branding, opting for more neutral tones to appeal to a wide audience, including different age groups.

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Golden Apple settled on an accent color, which made the brand more noticeable and memorable. This decision proved successful, as they were able to attract a youth audience for whom standing out and being bright plays an important role.

Hermès

Form of organization: fashion house

Feelings associated with uniqueness, high status, financial well-being and social significance.

The French brand Hermès combines the deep traditions of European culture, exquisite art and impeccable quality. The company focuses on two key areas: the meticulous work of artisans and the desire of customers for a luxurious lifestyle.

Hermès is not only a brand of luxury goods, but also a symbol of prestige, sophistication and uniqueness.

In addition, Hermès actively collaborates with independent artists and designers, which allows it to enhance the uniqueness of its products. In addition, the company creates goods in limited editions.

Hermès targets affluent clients who value personalized service. Due to the limited availability of the brand's products, they become a symbol of luxury and are associated with a privileged society that many aspire to enter.

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Yandex

Type of business: information technology company.

Feelings: friendliness, sincerity, positive mood, willingness to communicate.

Interaction with Yandex occurs on an almost constant basis. What was once just a search service has now evolved into a vast ecosystem spanning music, transportation and taxi services, as well as products and marketplaces.

Since Yandex targets a broad spectrum of users and the mid-market, one of the goals of their approach is to satisfy the interests of as many people as possible.

Yandex can be considered a reliable companion, always ready to help. Its intuitive interface and rich colors create a pleasant atmosphere.

Different apps have their own styles, but they all blend harmoniously into a single concept. For example, Yandex Music is distinguished by its bright and original style, thanks to the use of gradients and expressive fonts. At the same time, Yandex Lavka demonstrates a softer and calmer approach, while creating a feeling of convenience and clarity.

Avgvst

Type of business: jewelry retail.

Emotions: Uniqueness, beauty.

First and foremost, it's the harmonious interplay of minimalist design with the story behind each piece: "Avgvst is a symphony of beauty and chaos. Avgvst is graffiti, carefully wrapping around the graceful forms on the façade of an antique building." When looking at the products of this brand, you can't help but want to experience the same simplicity and minimalism that they embody.

When developing their jewelry, the designers draw inspiration from archival photographs, literature, celebrity biographies, works of art, natural landscapes, and historical events. The wearer of this brand feels that they are “liberated from stereotypes” and expressing “exquisite protest,” since there is no place for traditional jewelry forms in their collection.

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Surf Coffee

Type of business: coffee chain.

Feelings: a light touch of mystery, comfort.

The New Year became the inspiration for the updated Surf style, which was called modern theater. The brand decided to turn to theatrical aesthetics, presenting its drinks as actors, and coffee shops as stage venues for their performances.

The packaging and containers are imbued with a retro spirit, and the creative photo shoots and text content are reminiscent of the works of Wes Anderson. This visual approach creates an air of subtle mystery, as if the viewer is given a peek behind the curtain and watching the actors prepare for their performances between scenes.

With their new update, Surf Coffee has managed to add an element of mystery to the familiar process of buying coffee. However, this company remains true to its principles, combining theatrical expression with the coziness we expect from a cafe where peace and quiet reign, no worries whatsoever.

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A logo is not just a graphic element, but a whole world that combines aesthetics, technological aspects, and deep meanings. It serves as a visual representation of the brand, reflecting its identity and values. The aesthetic component of the logo includes the color palette, shape, and fonts that form the first impression on consumers.

From a technical point of view, creating a logo requires knowledge of graphic design, as well as an understanding of the principles of branding and market positioning. It is important to consider how the logo will appear on various media: from business cards to billboards.

However, the most significant aspect of a logo remains its semantic load. It should not only attract attention, but also convey the idea of ​​the brand, its mission and philosophy. A successful logo can establish an emotional connection between a company and its customers, making it an important tool in building a sustainable image.

Viva La Vika

Field of activity: jewelry retail.

Emotions: a sense of celebration and belief in limitless possibilities.

Not just jewelry, but real "trinkets": wish bracelets, Y2K style at the peak of popularity and original packaging with images of butterflies - these are the associations that come to mind when mentioning this brand. Inspired by nostalgia for the vibrant aesthetics of the early 2000s, the concepts of visualization and attraction of desire, as well as the desire to receive not just a product but also emotions, the brand successfully found a response in the hearts of its target audience.

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Y2K: style, visual elements, user interfaces, design of spaces and objects.

On Viva La Vika's social media pages and in its physical stores, there's an atmosphere of happiness reminiscent of those carefree childhood moments when you managed to get your hands on a coveted trinket. But now this feeling is available at any time, without the need to look for a special occasion.

A real surge in popularity is being seen around wish bracelets, which allow for a personalized engraving right in the store. Inside the package, the user finds instructions explaining how to properly activate the wish written on the bracelet. When the dream comes true, it can be hung on the wish tree located in the store. Viva La Vika serves as a source of inspiration and happiness, reminding us of the carefree joys of childhood and the importance of dreams.

IKEA

Business category: furniture retail.

Emotions: a feeling of a comfortable home space, peace.

IKEA embodies a friend-brand: images of comfortable interiors, pictures of warm meetings with friends and cute pets create an atmosphere of coziness and closeness among family.

Advertising materials often feature images from everyday life: holidays, family gatherings and romantic evenings. This approach fosters a warm emotional response and helps make the products offered an important part of the desired lifestyle.

A visit to IKEA was perceived as a significant event. A friendly atmosphere plays a significant role in this: customers can freely move around the store and interact with the interiors presented at their own discretion.

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Scientists' research has focused on how various visual elements contribute to the recognition of emotions. They studied which types of graphics most effectively convey emotional states.

Apple

Type of business: information technology company.

Emotions: a sense of uniqueness, aesthetic admiration.

Apple's visual branding creates the illusion of success and professionalism. For example, when you buy an iPad, you not only get a high-quality tablet, but also the feeling that it will help you on your way to mastering the art profession.

Apple is surrounded by an atmosphere of exclusivity, status, and relevance. The iPhone is more than just a mobile device; it's a chance to join a community and establish your identity as a successful person.

The story about the brand tells how an ordinary young man managed to create his own large-scale company, which also contributes to the formation of the general image of success associated with the brand. Through its positioning, Apple allows users to feel that great heights can be achieved with its products.

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iPhone: Design Evolution

Since its first appearance on the market in 2007, the iPhone has undergone significant design changes. The original model made a splash with its simple and elegant design, combining elements of a phone, music player, and internet device. Over the years, Apple has continued to refine both the appearance and functionality of its products.

In subsequent versions of the smartphone, the emphasis shifted to improving the materials used in the case. For example, models released after the iPhone 4 began using glass and aluminum, which gave the devices a more premium look and feel. Each new generation offered not only an updated design but also improved technical specifications, such as cameras and screens, which also affected the appearance.

With the release of the iPhone X in 2017, the company took a bold step by eliminating the physical Home button and expanding the screen to the very edge of the device. This design became iconic and had a significant impact on the entire industry, setting new trends for other smartphone manufacturers.

In recent years, Apple has continued to experiment with colors and textures, as well as device shapes, introducing new models such as the iPhone SE and iPhone 12 with their square edges. These changes highlight the company's commitment to not only staying relevant, but also creating a unique visual style that sets their devices apart from the competition.

Thus, the evolution of the iPhone design is not just a change in appearance, but also a reflection of the company's commitment to innovation and adaptation to the changing needs of users.

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Also read:

• A brand designer is a professional responsible for creating and developing the visual identity of a company or product. Their primary task is to create a unique brand image that will distinguish it from competitors and evoke specific associations in consumers.

  Their responsibilities include developing logos, color palettes, and fonts, as well as creating various graphic materials, such as business cards, packaging, and advertising materials. A brand designer must have strong graphic design skills and an understanding of marketing principles and consumer psychology.

  Furthermore, they must be up-to-date on current design trends and able to adapt them to the specifics of the brand. It is also important to have skills in various graphic design programs and be able to effectively collaborate with other team members, including marketers and copywriters.

  Thus, a successful brand designer is not only a creative person, but also a strategist who understands how visual elements can influence brand perception and its success in the market.

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