Using Emotional Research to Gain Objectivity and Settle Creative Disputes
by: Grant Gooding
Read Time: 3 minutes
As someone working in an agency capacity, you exemplify the best of human talent when it comes to consumer intuition, and how to use words and imagery to characterize an organization. So, why is it that your instincts and work are often scrutinized by the very people who hired you?
I mean, the sheer fact you were hired is at least a subtle admission that they believe you have more talent, experience, intuition, and capability than they do, yes?
Yet, persuading clients to see things from your perspective can be more challenging than it should be. While your creative processes and experience should be enough that your client should outright trust you, without data to support your recommendations, often your client’s subjective or gut reaction can override your obsessively crafted work.
Insider Bias
Insider Bias is a cognitive distortion that occurs when individuals within an organization are unable to view their company, products or customers objectively because they are immersed in the company’s culture, processes, and belief system.
In my experience, this internal bias is one of the biggest challenges that agencies face, and their ability to show clients intuitive and insightful work. When a client is entrenched in their own biased belief system it makes them resistant to new ideas or strategies that deviate from their established norms. This not only creates unnecessary friction but creates project inertia which impacts, deadlines, budgets, and a myriad of other variables in your engagement.
Misalignment in Messaging
Let’s illustrate how Insider Bias affects the messages clients use with some statistics. Over the past eight years, our research has analyzed the emotional impact of organizational messaging across a wide array of industries and genres. The results reveal a discouraging consistency: only a mere 6% of organizations use the most emotionally resonant messages based on analysis of their own customers. This isn’t just a minor oversight; it’s a profound disconnect.
The disconnect typically stems from internal assumptions about what the leadership and employees believe customers want to hear, rather than grounding messaging in data. Most organizations believe they understand their customer’s emotional triggers but without objective analysis, well, see the above statistic.
Establishing the Credibility You Deserve
In order to overcome the Insider Bias and assert your value, you must not only demonstrate your creative and intuitive credibility but also back it up with data that reinforces your strategic and tactical recommendations.
This is where Emotional Research allows you to establish the credibility you deserve.
Emotional Research not only bridges the gap between the art and science of marketing and advertising but also serves as a catalyst for progress with your clients. By supporting your creative work with quantitative emotional data, you can reduce friction, expedite decision-making, and align diverse client personalities. This empowers you to execute your projects and campaigns with confidence and clarity.