Passion Is Where It's At In Advertising

Advertising that taps into consumers' passions is likely to deliver greater online engagement which leads to brand loyalty and advocacy, according to new research from Yahoo and MediaVest. The study, “Passionistas: The New Empowered Consumers,” tracked the online behavior of consumers with specific passions including health, sports, food and entertainment, showing that Passionistas spend significantly more time engaged in activities related to their passions than the average consumer.

• For every one minute a typical Internet user spends online with the same content, Passionistas spend six minutes.
  
• Passionistas will visit a website related to their passion three times more than a typical user.
• Passionistas search online for information about their passion 184 percent more than typical users and conduct more than 100 related searches related to their passion per year.
  

“Being passionate today means digital content sharing and influencing others’ brand perceptions and purchase behaviors,” said Mark McLaughlin, Vice President of Audience Strategies at Yahoo!, “Marketers who build their campaigns from the start with the goal of tapping into passions are inviting consumers to get engaged and create an authentic dialogue.”

 Additional findings from the study support the conclusion that Passionistas are more open than others to advocating brands that appear to share their passions:

• 53 percent said they would try a brand they had not previously considered if it were associated with their passion, versus 41 percent of typical users;
• 49 percent said their opinion of the brand would be more favorable if associated with their passion, versus 34 percent of typical users;
• 46 percent said a brand has greater credibility if associated with their passion, versus 34 percent of typical users;
• 43 percent said their opinion of a brand is more positive if they sponsor an event related to their passion, versus 30 percent of typical users.
  

“Brands that stimulate conversation among passionate consumers will be rewarded through the credibility that comes from trusted word of mouth,” said Jim Kite, President of Connections Research and Analytics at MediaVest. “Accessing Passionistas online also offers the ability to track this valuable group’s media consumption habits, enabling brands to optimally – and accountably – leverage their advocacy power.”