MTM Brand and Strategy Director Richard Broughton shares insights into how cognitive psychology can shape brand strategy.
With the rise of short form brand content and the saturation of ads across all media channels, it seems that attention is a resource in short supply and something marketers are constantly grappling with. However, psychological research tells us that the concept of ‘attention’ is more complicated than many people think - and marketeers can benefit from this if they know how to.
Take TV ads as an example. Like many people, I use the break as a chance to check my phone, grab a cup of tea or contemplate whether I need another biscuit, so it’s fair to say my attention is elsewhere most of the time. But, as soon as I hear the signature mcdonalds whistle or the sound that the ‘holidays are coming…’ my attention is immediately back on the big screen and I am craving a BigMac or a Coke…or both. How does this happen? And why am I still eating junk food on a far too regular basis?
In this blog we focus on answering the first question, exploring how the human brain consumes and processes ads using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) proposed by psychologists Petty and Cacioppo way back in 1986. When applied to marketing, this theory has the potential to transform how effectively brands capture the attention of audiences and drive action.
What is the Elaboration-Likelihood Model?
Essentially, the brain has two different processing routes for marketing material: peripheral or central processing, also known as heuristic or semantic processing. Peripheral processing is defined as quick, low-effort engagement, while central processing is defined as high-effort, time consuming, active engagement.
Intuitively, one might think that individuals engage in either central or peripheral processing. The truth, however, is that individuals are not limited to one mental route over the other. Often, the route the brain prefers is dependent on context: where the individual is, their intent to purchase (or lack of), any physical and mental distractions, and time limitations all play a role.
Heuristic/peripheral processing in practice
Heuristic decision-making involves very little engagement with the advert itself or its contents. It is a very instinctive process that relies on cues such as stand-out visuals, familiarity or authority; for example, having heard of the brand before, an eye-catching picture, or endorsements from other familiar entities.
A practical example would be someone who is looking for a new CRM platform might be more inclined to adopt HubSpot instead of Salesforce if they are following on LinkedIn. Another example involves colour psychology: someone shopping for a new facial cleanser who happens to like the colour pink might be more drawn to Glossier’s iconic pink branding than to Mac’s minimalist black-and-white packaging. These are both examples of heuristic processing because the individual makes a decision based on cues and features that can be considered “surface-level” where the brain is using pre-existing knowledge (e.g., familiarity and preferences) to speed up the decision-making process.
How to leverage heuristic processing in your marketing
Use consistent brand identifiers
Make it easy for your audience to notice who you are so your audience doesn't have to think to know who is talking to them. Create strong brand designs, focus on details that make your brand stand out, and use them consistently. Additionally, make sure that your brand personality is reflected in all your communications, whether that is through your web design, your email marketing or your social media posts.
This helps the brain store information in a clean and concise manner. In a previous blog we discussed how the brain retains information about a brand using schemas. Using consistent brand identifiers is key to keeping tidy schemas that can easily and quickly speed up the decision making process. By maintaining consistency, your brand avoids overcrowding consumers’ schemas with conflicting messages, colours and graphics that make decision-making harder.
Influencer marketing can make a difference
Selecting brand ambassadors whose content, values and purpose aligns with your brand can not only increase reach by introducing your brand to their viewers, but could also increase feelings of trust and reliability in existing audiences. To understand more about the role of influencer marketing in brand strategy, read our insights into how the right (and wrong) choice of influencer can dictate brand perceptions.
Invest in visibility
Always-on campaigns can be a great tool for bringing your brand front-of-mind. Familiarity has long been seen to improve ROI and brand success as consumers are more likely to engage with brands they know than ones they don't. This might be a key deciding factor for someone who is more sensitive to heuristic cues and could make a difference in your ROI. PPC campaigns are a great way to start. By positioning your content to a specific target audience, whether that is on social media or search consoles, you can make a difference in how you are remembered from day 1.
Bonus tip: the halo effect showcases that people tend to attribute more positive qualities to things they like. Use data and insights to understand where your audience preferences lie and leverage data-driven decision-making to truly appeal to your audience.
Semantic/central processing in practice
On the other side of the spectrum lie those who engage in central route processing where logic, credibility and value matter more than surface-level appeal. This is when individuals intentionally seek out a lot of information and details, and offer a lot of their attention to the piece of content or marketing material. For example, when someone chooses to read what a brand has to say in their blog and they try to understand and apply the key takeaways, they are engaging in central processing.
People often engage in central processing when they have a definite intent to make a purchase and so it is high-effort, time consuming, active engagement which leads to them making a purchase decision. In these bottom-of-funnel situations, individuals tend to be more sensitive to copywriting that makes sense to them and aligns with their intent, need or goals. And while it's easy to say this is a no-brainer, it is why you need to make sure that the copy you put out there is clear, cohesive, and easy to interpret.
Tips to suit the central processing route
These will help you understand what you need to include in your marketing to help consumers at any point in the buying process. The key here is to make sure your ads, campaigns, blogs, or any other piece you use to attract engagement with the brand is ready to be processed by people undertaking either route of mental processing, so that even when it's not confirmed that they will pay attention, they can easily remember and understand the message.
Content marketing
For audiences engaging in central route processing, long-form content is a brilliant way to showcase your brand’s knowledge and perspective. These readers can assess whether your brand’s values and personality align with theirs, in turn helping you build a loyal following.
When writing this content, make sure you include your thoughts, opinions and personality behind the words. Don't just regurgitate other content online, make the readers feel as though you are speaking directly to them by providing value to the conversion. This also gives you a chance to leverage other platforms to increase visibility and awareness. This approach builds thought leadership as well as an emotional connection.
Match words with actions
To maintain credibility, you must align your brand’s actions with your words. Audiences who are engaged in central processing are attuned to inconsistencies between what brands say and what they do. Central processing also often involves evaluating the reliability of the content that is being put forward, so customers may choose to disengage with brands they like because the brand loses trustworthiness and credibility.
For example, if a brand promotes sustainability but does not back it up operationally, your messaging will likely fall flat, or worse, be seen as deceptive. Our blog on building an effective ESG communications strategy names authenticity as one of the main pillars of effective sustainability messaging.
Ensure that your communications are transparent about what you are doing, not just what you aspire to do, and include evidence to back up your claims, including case studies and data.
Use consistent messaging
Earlier, we explored how consistent brand identifiers support peripheral processing. Just as important is consistent messaging as it can be used as another indicator of reliability for the audience who engages in central processing. Trying to be or say too many things at once may cause individuals to lose trust as they might misunderstand the true purpose and values behind your brand, and therefore view it as unreliable, untruthful or generally misaligned from their own thoughts and feelings. To remedy this, create a clear messaging framework, core messages across platforms and touchpoints, and a strong brand identity and voice.
Where central and peripheral processing meet
In reality, individuals rarely stick to one type of processing. Someone who is influenced by heuristic cues one day may choose to pay attention to the central cues another. Lets continue with our previous example of the person shopping for a new CRM platform. Someone who follows HubSpot but not Salesforce on LinkedIn could be more inclined to prefer HubSpot at first due to heuristic cues like familiarity. However, when it comes to choosing a platform, they might choose to read about both. In this situation, the individual engages in central processing, they are more sensitive to sense-based cues and could end up deviating from their initial opinion.
This highlights the importance of balancing your marketing techniques for heuristic and semantic processing. As persuasion is not one-dimensional, and individuals often switch between routes, brands need to navigate and prepare for each situation equally.
Think of it as crafting a message with layers: clear, compelling arguments at the core, supported by memorable visuals, trusted messengers, persuasion techniques like Cialdini’s six. By designing for both types of processing, you increase your odds of resonating across your audience regardless of how they engage.
Conclusion
In a world where attention is fragmented and fleeting, understanding how people’s brains process your ads is more important than ever. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) explains two processing routes to consider when developing advertising materials. This framework allows marketeers to tailor their communications to both instinctive, low effort interactions and thoughtful, high effort considerations.
By designing campaigns that incorporate both heuristic cues (like high visibility, recognisable branding and influencer partnerships), and central processing triggers (long-form content, thought leadership pieces, and authenticity), you will meet a wider audience where they are, wherever they are in the buying journey.
How we can help
Ready to create campaigns that connect on every level? Our marketing specialists make it their business to understand humans and how they tick.
Speak to our team today about building marketing strategies which cut through the noise, cast the net wider, and reach maximum potential.