You are strolling through town on a frosty winter's day and catch sight of a poster advertising hot chocolate. Before you know it, you are standing in line waiting for your hot drink. It seems only logical that hot chocolate advertising goes down better in the cold season than in the summer. But have you ever thought about the fact that almost any product can be made more attractive by advertising it adapted to the ambient temperature? In this post, we explore how temperature affects our perception of advertising. We look at how temperature fluctuations affect our mood and thinking and how advertisers can use this knowledge to optimise advertising.
Embodied cognition
It's no secret that our mood is influenced by temperature. But did you know that it can also influence the way we process information and perceive advertising? This is related to the concept of "embodied cognition". "Embodied cognition" means that our cognitive processes are based on our sensory experiences. For example, we perceive someone who offers us a warm drink as friendlier than someone who offers us a cold drink. Just as our muscles tighten with exertion and help us tolerate important but distracting information, other physical experiences can also influence our thinking. For example, we make better thought-out decisions with a full bladder because the inhibitions triggered by a full bladder prevent impulsive decisions.Temperature can have similar effects on our state of mind. A higher temperature can improve our social cognition and speed up our use of cognitive resources. A lower temperature, on the other hand, can cause feelings of loneliness.
But how does all this relate to marketing and advertising? Temperature affects the way we process information. At higher temperatures, we tend to rely more on our emotions when processing information. Therefore, one might assume that emotional advertising works better at higher temperatures. This is partly true, but it is important to distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant temperatures, as they can have different effects.
Pleasant vs. uncomfortable temperatures
When temperatures are pleasant, we tend to notice warm cues in advertising and respond more positively to emotional advertising. This leads to a more positive attitude towards nostalgic advertising, which is often associated with warm memories and feelings. We react differently to advertising when temperatures are unpleasant, such as on very hot summer days or bitterly cold winter days. Surprisingly, the opposite seems to be the case here. In cold weather, there is a need for psychological warmth to compensate for the physical cold. This can lead us to want more emotional advertising or social activities to satisfy this need. On the other hand, in high temperatures, we tend to look for ways to cool down and therefore respond more positively to less emotional, more rational advertising.
Advertisers can use this knowledge to make their advertising more effective. One way is to adapt advertising to the seasons. In winter, when temperatures are uncomfortably cold, ads that evoke warm and cosy feelings might be particularly effective. In summer, when temperatures are uncomfortably high, more rational ads might be better received. The temperature can also vary within a day, and advertisers can respond to this as well. In warmer times or places, emotional ads, such as nostalgic ads, might do well, while in cooler temperatures, more informative ads might be preferred. Almost all big brands use this effect. Finally, I would like to share 2 examples with you:
Starbucks Red Cups: Starbucks is known for introducing their red cups during the holiday season. They advertise warm, spicy drinks such as peppermint mocha and gingerbread latte, which evoke both a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. The red cups themselves are a symbol of the holidays and the warm and cosy feeling associated with them. This is an example of a company using the uncomfortably cold temperatures of winter to promote warm and emotional.
Coca-Cola's summer campaign: Coca-Cola often runs summer advertising campaigns that focus on the hot temperatures. They show people enjoying a refreshing Coke while having fun in the sun or relaxing on the beach. These ads appeal to people's need to cool off in high temperatures. It conveys the image that a cold Coke is just what you need to refresh yourself in the summer heat. This is an example of a company using the uncomfortable, hot temperatures of summer to make more rational advertising.