SiriusXM, in its latest ad campaign named “Silence is Not my Friend,” uses a distinctive emotional branding strategy to engage a younger demographic and to compete against insurgent music streaming services like Pandora and Spotify. The ad, a mix of emotional appeal and depiction of product use, revolves around a young woman navigating through life, experiencing emotions like loneliness, apprehension, happiness and fear, with SiriusXM being her constant companion. Several artists feature their songs in the ad showcasing SiriusXM’s extensive library, which aims at connecting with the vast millennial music preferences and detaching from the traditional image as the go-to service for sports scores, shock jocks, and dad rock.

SiriusXM’s new approach diverges significantly from the usual marketing trends in the radio industry. While most services compete on features like user interface, algorithmic prowess, and inventory size, SiriusXM is focusing on building an emotional connection with its audience. Its strategy revolves around how consuming media via SiriusXM makes you feel, rather than counting on the service’s technical aspects.

The major takeaway from the article is the use of emotional branding as a strategic approach in marketing. It encourages marketers to go beyond the traditional aspects of selling a product or service and connects on an emotional level with a newer, younger demographic. By using emotional storytelling, anxiety, happiness, desire, SiriusXM has effectively uplifted its brand image, demonstrating that understanding consumers’ emotional needs can greatly influence their connection with a brand. This important lesson underlines the value and impact of emotional marketing and its potential to connect with an audience on a deeply personal level.

Read more at Fast Company – co-design