---

Guest post by: Steve Cranford Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

An early discussion of brand research and the power of human emotion in driving consumer decision-making comes from what might seem a surprising source.
Alexis de Tocqueville, a young aristocratic French lawyer, traveled to the United States in 1831 to study its penal system. His visit resulted in the classic Democracy in America, a masterpiece of United States cultural and political analysis. Without framing it as such, he offers a compelling statement early in Volume One of the power of emotional imprints upon the human mind, and how they guide us throughout life:
[To understand a man] we must watch the infant in his mother’s arms; we must see the first images which the external world casts upon the…mirror of his mind, the first occurrences which he witnesses; we must hear the first words that awaken the sleeping powers of thought, and stand by his earliest efforts—if we could understand the prejudices, the habits and the passions which will rule his life. The entire man is, so to speak, to be seen in the cradle of the child.
Some 170 years ago, de Tocqueville had it right. To understand consumers and identify their emotional drivers, good consumer research uncovers what the consumer does not know that they know, by reaching into the subconscious and uncovering what was imprinted at an early age when encountering a variety of experiences for the first time.
It is these imprints — the first experiences in life — that are the context by which a consumer will see things throughout their entire adult lives, and react to communications and experiences intended to influence them.
Before the importance of research into the effects of human emotion upon brand development were understood by some, de Tocqueville prophetically pointed the way to success. He could foresee the power of those first impressions in most any effort to own the conversation within any industry, even in today’s popular culture.
He understood there is no second chance to make a first impression.

Related Articles

  What is Brand Equity?
  The Power of a Brand Name and how to make your own brand powerful
  2011 Consumer Packaged Goods Marketing Trends
  Brand differentiation by design
  The brand audit university branding in China
  Social media integration essential for effective PR
  Just waitll we get our brand on you
  Martha Stewarts brand research
  Branding – A Public Relations Challenge
  Wal Marts brand positioning
  Consumer confidence increases
  A case for rebranding - catalysts for brand revitalization
  Apple is dragging its collective feet on moving the Apple TV
  A Look at Incentive and Rebates Programs
  Your Brand of Leadership
  Cheap Promotional Products
  The Surprise Close
  Shopper Basket Data: 3 key reasons why this point-of-sale (POS) data is a great brand management tool for small and emerging OTC and CPG brands.
  Silly Humans Can't Count: The 29% Effect
  Let Me Tell You About A Truly Great Brand

Related Forum Posts

Re: What makes a good online review?
Re: Is branding important for small businesses
Re: Avon/ Amway
Re: Business attire
Re: Canadian Licensing Info

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Increase Your Income With Data Entry Jobs

Why Small Businesses Don't Survive

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.