Is ‘Warmth’ the Secret Sauce for Many Brands?

In a study that purports to give “new meaning to retail therapy,” university researchers say lonely people turn to brands that exude warmth.

Researchers from the University of Alberta had five groups of undergraduate students split into those made to feel socially excluded and those in the control who felt included.

The excluded people tended to choose warmer brands. “They think these brands will be better relationship partners,” said Kyle Murray, study co-author and dean of the Alberta School of Business, in a press release.

Those who felt included more often also chose the “warmer, fuzzier” brand if they had low self-acceptance.

“If you can be a warmer, more caring brand, you can actually make people feel better, and that will make them better customers,” said Prof. Murray. “They’re more likely to be loyal and more likely to choose you.”

The concept of brands imbuing “warmth” is often attributed to research from social psychologist Susan Fiske and consultant Chris Malone in their book, “The Human Brand.”

The study finds that as much as 82 percent of people’s judgments of others can be predicted by two categories of perception – warmth and competence – and that also applies to how consumers perceive, judge and behave toward brands.

Warmth is seen by the authors as a measure of “worthy intentions” and defined by traits such as being warm, friendly, likable, trustworthy, honest, and sincere. The authors further state that words such as “capable,” “intelligent” and “skills” convey competence, a measure of carrying out worthy intentions.

The book concluded that embracing warmth and competence is becoming more important as consumers seek genuine relationships with brands. The authors wrote in the book, “Customers already have near-instantaneous power to pass judgment on how companies and brands conduct themselves in public. That power will continue to grow for decades to come.”

A 2020 study from researchers at the University of Vienna found “brand warmth consistently and positively impacts functional and emotional value, whereas brand competence enhances functional value. The impact of the stereotyping dimensions on value is subsequently reflected in increased purchase intentions and higher brand ownership.”

• Brands that exude warmth hit the mark with lonely consumers, study shows — Phys.org

• Some like it warm: How warm brands mitigate the negative effects of social exclusion — Psychology & Marketing

• Introduction — The Human Brand

• Do brand warmth and brand competence add value to consumers? A stereotyping perspective — Journal of Business Research

• The benefits of retail therapy: Making purchase decisions reduces residual sadness — Science Direct

• New Retail Study Shows Marketers Under-Leverage Emotional Connection — Motista/PRNewswire

• Is Retail Therapy Actually Therapeutic? — Financial Times

• Retail Therapy: What Makes You Feel Relieved and Happy? — Iowa State University

• Think Retail Therapy Will Cure Loneliness? Think Again, Says A New Study — Huffington Post

• The Loneliness Loop: Why Feeling Sad Makes Us Shop and Shopping Makes Us Sad — The Atlantic

• How Emotion Has Overtaken Reason In Driving Brand Choice — Advertising Age

• Shoppers are Lonely, Anxious. Retail Therapy is a Solution — WSL