How brands reach us emotionally: the secret of emotional design

Early digital interactions – even children respond intuitively and emotionally to well-designed, appealing interfaces.

In a world where brands compete for our attention, it is no longer enough just to have a good product. Brands have to touch us emotionally, make us laugh, marvel or think. But how do they manage to reach us at such a deep level? The magic word is: emotional design.

This does not only apply to consumer goods. In B2B, too, people make the decisions, and they decide with their feelings as well: whether they trust a provider, whether they understand it, whether they feel they are in good hands.

What is emotional design?

Emotional design refers to the deliberate design of products, services and interactions that trigger emotional reactions in us. It is about more than aesthetics. It is about how we feel when we visit a website, use an app or hold a physical product in our hands.

The basic idea is simple: emotions drive our behaviour. When we feel good, we are more willing to like a brand, trust it and come back. When something confuses or frustrates us, we quickly turn away. Brands such as Apple, Coca-Cola or Nike know this and use emotional design deliberately to build strong bonds with their users.

How do brands reach us emotionally?

There are several ways in which brands trigger emotional reactions. Here are the most important ones:

1. Colours play with our feelings

Colours have enormous emotional power. They can calm us, excite us or even make us hungry. Think of Coca-Cola: the bright red stands for energy, passion and joie de vivre. A brand like IKEA, on the other hand, uses a calm blue and yellow that radiate trust and reliability.

Every colour has a particular psychological effect. Cleverly used colours ensure that we feel comfortable on a website, that we find a product likeable or that we remember a brand. Incidentally, Coca-Cola dressed Santa Claus in its distinctive red so that it could sell its cool soft drink in winter too.

The Coca-Cola Santa Claus is a classic example of emotional branding that evokes festive and nostalgic feelings.

2. Shapes and layouts create a sense of security

Shapes and layouts also have an emotional effect. Rounded shapes, as often seen in Google’s user interface, convey friendliness and lightness. Corners and edges, as found in Tesla’s designs, for example, convey strength and precision.

Brands deliberately use layouts that make navigating pleasant. A well-structured website or digital product ensures that we can find our way around without getting frustrated – and that gives us positive feelings.

Clear, minimalist designs with rounded shapes have a calming effect and support a positive user experience.

3. Interactions that surprise and delight

Special moments in the user experience – so-called delight moments – are small, unexpected surprises that bring us joy. If you have ever tapped “Like” on Instagram and seen the heart animation, you know what I mean.

These small interactions are often subtle, but they have a big emotional impact. They make us feel connected to the brand and happy to come back.

Emotional experiences in digital media consumption can create strong bonds between users and brands.

4. Personalisation for a deeper connection

Nothing appeals to us emotionally as much as the feeling that a brand means us personally. Netflix and Spotify are masters at this. They offer tailored recommendations based on our preferences. When we notice that a brand “knows us”, we feel valued and stay loyal.

Why does emotional design work so well?

Our brain loves stories and emotions. Brands that appeal to us emotionally stay in our memory. We remember emotional experiences better than neutral ones. That is why experiences that touch us are so valuable.

Emotions also heighten the perception of value. A product that appeals to us emotionally seems more valuable – even if it has no better technical features than another.

A personalised user interface addresses users directly and creates an emotional connection through tailored recommendations.

Conclusion: emotional experiences create loyal customers

Brands that rely on emotional design create more than beautiful products – they create experiences that touch us. When we feel emotionally connected to a brand, we stay loyal, talk about it and recommend it.

Emotional design is therefore more than a trend. It is a tool that brands use to build long-term, loyal relationships with their users.

But design can only amplify what has been clarified beforehand. If you don’t know what you stand for, colours and shapes evoke arbitrary feelings. That is why I start with positioning: first, it is settled what should come across to the customer, then the core message and the rules for copy and design follow.

The next time you deal with a brand, notice how it tries to reach you emotionally. Whether colours, shapes or small interactions – these details are often the reason why you feel so comfortable with a brand.

— Tim Alexander Söther

About SÖTHER

I am Tim Alexander Söther, a brand and communication strategist in Berlin. I help companies say clearly what they stand for, in a way their customers understand and can pass on. With me, strategy and implementation come from a single source. After the positioning, I develop the core message and the rules for copy and design, and on request I design the first wireframes for the website and channels. I work directly with management, without intermediaries and without a team in the background.