It’s that time of week again: Marketing Strategy 101.
On the docket? The “halo effect.”
The halo effect is a fascinating concept that while adapted by brand marketers, like yours truly, is really a psychological concept. It’s the idea that if you like one aspect of something you tend to be predisposed to think positively about other aspects of it, even if they’re totally unrelated.
For example, have you ever noticed that someone you find intelligent becomes suddenly more physically attractive to you? Or that someone really good at sports is assumed to be a leader in the classroom? That’s a halo effect: Two things, actually unrelated, color your impressions of each other.
And the opposite is known as the “horns effect” … a negative impression of, say, a juice-box label design might lead someone to believe it tastes bad. The two things are unrelated in reality, but work in tandem in our minds.
At TeamWorks, we’re calling 2015 The Year of Purpose. And while there are all sorts of “nice” reasons to have purpose, there are a lot of bottom-line business reasons as well. You see, the halo effect is particularly strong when it comes to brands who communicate their purpose internally and externally. Employees think those companies make better decisions, care more about them, and are more attuned to the future. So do customers. And that’s a halo effect you can take to the bank.