Classical Conditioning Strategies in Advertising
Consumer behavior plays a central role in determining how a particular product is advertised. While various platforms are used to promote products and services, digitized ones, such as social media, are commonly employed (Levy et al., 2018). Classical conditioning is a key concept that is applied during marketing activities (Aronson et al., 2019). The application of this strategy enables advertisers to establish and create associations between their product or service and the brand with a given stimulus (Staats & Staats, 1958). Therefore, classical conditioning persuades the targeted customers to purchase items when triggered by specific inducements.
Fictional Product: NightScent
NightScent Description
Sleep is essential, as it allows people to rest while improving their mood and cognitive performance. Research by Gaeta and Wilson (2022) indicates that external stimuli, such as odors, can influence the content of one’s dreams. While a pleasant scent can positively affect sleep, a foul odor can encumber sweet dreams. NightScent is a unique pillow offering a variety of scents for customers to choose from. Some of the product categories available are roses, jasmine, vanilla, and patchouli. Consequently, clients have the option to choose a pillow scent of their liking. During the initial purchase, the pillow comes with a bottle of the chosen scent, which can be refilled once it is exhausted. Unlike other pillows that only provide physical comfort, NightScent encourages positive dreams and mental well-being.
Advertisement Design Description
Print and non-print media are used to advertise various products and services. The promotion of NightScent will involve a 40-second short video that can be played on various digital platforms and mainstream television stations. Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are the three social media platforms where the NightScent advert will be played since they have a global audience (Masuda et al., 2022). On the other hand, television stations such as The National Broadcasting Company (NBC)and The Fox Broadcasting Company will be used to advertise. Below is the script of the 40-second advert that will be used to attract clients.
On-Screen
A young man aged between 25 and 30 years is seen lying in bed, fast asleep. The man lays his head on a white pillow with the word “NightScent” written on it. He dreams of walking in a quiet, peaceful forest as he imagines his future success. The alarm clock rings, and he wakes up feeling refreshed and energized, his eyes still closed, his hand still on his pillow.
Voice Over
What does your dream tell you? NightScent is your pillow of choice as it inspires positive sleep and the world of imagination. The pillow is made of natural fiber and can absorb and retain a sweet-smelling scent for up to 84 hours. The product comes with a filled perfume bottle, a blend of natural oils and flowers that promote relaxation and enhance dream recall. NightScent is medically approved, and your perfect choice for endless sweet dreams! Get NightScent from permitted retailers and supermarkets near you or visit our website, www.nightscentpillow.com, for more information.
Ad Campaign
Ad campaigns are used to spread and communicate a single message that revolves around the item under promotion. NightScent product promotion campaign will run for 5 months. The first three months will involve focusing on the social media platforms primarily used by the target consumers. Therefore, more resources will be channelled to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. During the last 2 months, the advertisement will be played on NBC and Fox networks to attract customers who are inactive on their social platforms. The campaign reports will be generated monthly to determine their performance.
Formation of Attitudes and Persuasion
Following the use of a classical conditioning strategy, the proposed advertisement forms a positive attitude among the target clients. The success of the campaign is based on the classical conditioning elements used. The first element is the unconditioned stimulus that triggers an automatic response in the audience (Levy et al., 2018). The feeling of relaxation and peace associated with sweet dreams is the unconditioned inducing element in the NightScent advertisement. The second element is the conditioned stimulus, which is a neutral cue that elicits an involuntary action after being repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus (Aronson et al., 2019). The NightScent pillow is the conditioned stimulus in the proposed advertisement.
The third element is the unconditioned response, which involves an automatic response to a stimulus. The unconditioned response in the promotion of NightScent pillows is the feeling of relaxation and happiness. The last element is the unconditioned response, which is associated with the unconditioned stimulus. The use of NightScent pillows to induce relaxation while sleeping is a conditioned response. Therefore, the targeted consumers will be persuaded to purchase NightScent so that they can have positive dreams while asleep.
Persuasion: Personal Opinion
The application of the classical conditioning strategy makes the advertisement persuasive. I am convinced to buy the product for three main reasons. The advertisement appeals to one’s emotions to have a more peaceful and relaxing night of sleep.
Additionally, the advertisement highlights the unique nature of NightScent pillows, which can be distinguished from others. The use of natural fibers makes the pillow sustainable and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, featuring a young man makes it easy for me to relate to my struggles after long hours of work. Therefore, the advertisement is persuasive enough to make me buy NightScent.
References
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Sommers, S. R., & Akert, R. M. (Eds.). (2019). Attitudes and attitude change: Influencing thoughts and feelings. In Social Psychology (10th ed.). Pearson.
Gaeta, G., & Wilson, D. A. (2022). Reciprocal relationships between sleep and smell. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 16.
Levy, N., Harmon-Jones, C., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2018). Dissonance and discomfort: Does a simple cognitive inconsistency evoke a negative affective state? Motivation Science, 4(2), 95–108.
Masuda, H., Han, S. H., & Lee, J. (2022). Impacts of influencer attributes on purchase intentions in social media influencer marketing: Mediating roles of characterizations. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 174(174), 121246.
Staats, A. W., & Staats, C. K. (1958). Attitudes established by classical conditioning. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 57(1), 37–40.