Before I always thought that emotions and feelings were the same thing.
Well I was wrong.
As it turns out, there are subtle differences in these two things that make a BIG difference when it comes to marketing insights.
Emotions are what we feel in the moment. They are typically triggered by some type of stimulus. For example, if we go to a movie together and see a scary movie and something pops out that scares us – we jump and have the emotion of being scared. That might stay around for a little bit but then goes away.
Now, if you keep having that emotion of being scared – that’s not an emotion anymore – that’s a feeling. Emotion is what you have initially to something – its like a reaction. While feeling is something that lingers well after the stimulus is gone. It can be positive or negative but in a lot of ways a feeling is the narrative we tell ourselves about the experience we just had.
For branding and marketing this has clear implications.
Everyone talks about the emotions that the brand creates but no one considers the feelings that a brand creates. Feelings is what actually creates brand followers and consistent customers. Emotions is usually the work of more aggressive and less noble forms of short term marketing.
You need to market with both in mind.
Emotional reactions are great but its feelings that create action over the long run in customers.