The Neuroscience of Brand Warmth
Key points of the neuroscience of brand warmth:
Research in social neuroscience suggests that the two most important personality traits in another person is warmth and competence
The same is true for brand loyalty - the most beloved brands rank very high on perceptions of warmth and competence
Brand warmth is primary, and fundamentally comes down to a brand’s ability to demonstrate its good intentions for the customer’s well-being
Have you ever given your car a name? Or maybe, given polite words of encouragement to your computer when it breaks down, in the hope that it’ll start working again? If so, you’re not alone. As social creatures, humans can’t help but see inanimate objects as having human-like traits. It’s a fundamental feature of social neuroscience. And this is especially true for how people see brands.
Personality traits are commonly associated with brands. When you think about Apple, you probably think, “sleek, minimal, and smart”. For Nike? “ambitious and athletic” instantly come to my mind. So which personality traits are best? It turns out that the same qualities that you appreciate in fellow humans, are also what you appreciate about brands. It comes down to the personality traits that your brain prioritizes the most.
Research pioneered by the social psychologist Susan Fiske finds that this fundamentally comes down to two specific traits: Warmth and Competence.
The brain’s preference for warmth and competence
The human brain is a judgy organ. Within the first second of meeting someone new, your brain is already assessing them on these two dimensions. Warmth reflects their intentionality and considers whether they intend to do you harm, or treat you well. Competence is their ability to act on these intentions.
These judgments of warmth and competence account for a huge amount of the variance in how much you like the person overall. If you see them as warm and competent, then you’re good. If not, you’ll be wary, and won’t trust them.
The same is true for brands. Applying this framework to brands, evidence in consumer neuroscience suggests that warmth and competence are the two most important traits when it comes to driving brand loyalty, and predict key outcomes such as net promoter scores and likelihood to refer a friend.
Brands that are high on warmth and competence include some of the most beloved, such as Campbell’s, Hershey’s, and Coca-Cola. Those who are low in these areas include cigarette companies. Government-run entities such as the US Postal Service or non-profit organizations are often judged to be warm but not competent, leading to a sense of ambivalence.
The influence of warmth on loyalty
Interestingly, there are a few brands judged to be competent and not warm. All of these belong to a single category: luxury. This, of course, fits the stereotype of the rich consumer: cold, yet successful.
Luxury sectors aside, if you had to choose one over the other, warmth would be the choice. Research on the neuroscience of branding suggests that it is primary. So how can a brand exude warmth? Put simply, by demonstrating its good intentions for the customer’s well-being. This is a crucial element of long-term brand loyalty.
Intentionality is key. Much more so than the end result, customers are sensitive to the perceived “why” behind a brand’s actions and its communications. Are they doing this merely to make a sale? Or are they concerned about me, the person? For brands, this is an opportunity to reflect.
Think about your brand personality and your primary associations. What are the attributes that come to mind for the consumer? Then think about the customer journey with your brand, and your communication strategy. What can be done to exude more competence, and especially, to exude more warmth? Once you examine these, you’ll be on your way to using the science of brand warmth to build a loyal fan base.
Photo via Robson Hatsukami Morgan on Unsplash
About the author
Matt Johnson, PhD is a researcher, writer, and consumer neuroscientist focusing on the application of psychology to branding. He is the author of the best-selling consumer psychology book Blindsight, and Branding That Means Business (Economist Books, Fall 2022). Contact Matt for speaking engagements, workshops, or just to say hello
