It’s no secret that we’re all inundated with advertisements every day. From targeted ads on social media to recurring video ads on our streaming services, recent estimates put the average daily ad exposure at up to 10,000 per day! Though this number seems excessive, there’s a reason that companies continue to invest a large part of their marketing budgets into advertising. When ads are good, they work!

However, in order to help your ads stand out in a crowded market, you should first learn about the processes that consumers go through when making a buying decision. If you’re interested in advertising but haven’t quite made the leap, take a look at the visual guide from RentSpree below to learn about the basic principles of advertising psychology.

For example, the majority of buyers use a combination of thought processes when deciding what to purchase. The Consumer Processing Model refers to the logical steps someone goes through to reach their decision. This process includes being exposed to an ad, agreeing with it, remembering it, and using the information it provided to choose that product. On the other side is the Hedonistic Experiential Model, which you can think of as emotional or impulse buying. The best ads are able to appeal to potential buyers on both the logical and emotional levels.

The guide also goes through the subconscious ways different colours and fonts affect us, tips and tricks for pricing, and the most effective emotions to invoke in your ad. Take a look:

Harness the psychology of advertising in 5 steps

It’s estimated that we’re exposed to up to 10,000 ads per day. Help your ads stand out by making use of these basic principles.

Understanding the consumer buying process

Consumer processing model (thinking)
Appeals to consumers on a rational, practical level. For example, a toothpaste ad emphasizing better price and quality.

Hedonistic experiential model (feeling)
This model appeals to consumers on an impulsive, wishful level. For example, a soda commercial emphasizing the fun lifestyle of soda drinkers.

*Most consumers use a combination when making buying decisions.

Choose colours that best convey your message

• Red: Exciting and energetic
• Orange: Confident and friendly
• Yellow: Warm and happy
• Green: Healthy and natural
• Blue: Trustworthy and secure
• Purple: Wealthy and wise
• Magenta: Passion and creative
• Grey: Sophisticated, powerful
• Black and White: Pure and simple

Use fonts that will appeal to your audience

• Serif: Traditional
• Sans-Serif: Clean
• Script: Creative
• Modern: Strong
• Display: Friendly

Get tricky with pricing

Prestige pricing (e.g. $10)
The rounded price effect causes feelings of “rightness”.

Charm pricing (e.g. $9.99)
Tricks the brain into thinking we’re paying less.

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Source: https://www.rentspree.com/blog/real-estate-agents/psychology-of-advertising/