Jeremy Lin Shows Marketers Emotional Attachment to a Brand Still Alive
The success of Jeremy Lin as a brand cannot be understated. As much as Lin serves as an example of how a brand can reach a “tipping point” and develop a vast follower-base, his story also shows marketers and advertisers that “pathos,” or emotional appeal still has an effect on consumers and their buying-behavior.
Kenneth Wisnefski, marketing expert and founder / CEO of WebiMax, feels “Lin’s brand reinforces an age-old marketing tactic –emotional attachment.”
This notion is supported by Lin’s quick rise to fame in the NBA and the result of which has been a trending sensation on social media and traditional media alike. In addition, consumers attaching themselves to Lin’s story include those who do not typically follow the NBA, evidence that trending phenomenon can develop new target audiences.
Wisnefski also feels:
- Lin’s story has shown us that when consumers establish an emotional attachment to a brand, they follow and invest in it. Even consumers that do not typically follow the NBA now do, evidence that trending brands can catapult and capture new audiences.
- Communications experts would refer to this as an appeal based on “pathos,” or emotion. Marketers can leverage this notion to reflect on their own marketing strategies and perhaps reintroduce products that would have a similar appeal to consumers.
- Specific industries can reflect on Lin’s story to reestablish “pathos” with products that captured audiences in the past, including those products that have experienced up and downs in their product life-cycles (i.e. automobiles, fashion, etc.)
- Consumer-buying behavior can suddenly shift to a specific brand or trend, establishing new target audiences at any given point.