Emotioneering the Eye of the Beholder

Following on from my previous two posts on the theme of beauty…

Defining Aesthetic Ideals

The old adage “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” takes on new significance when viewed through the lens of emotioneering – the practice of systematically crafting product experiences to influence human emotions and perceptions, and increase the chances of people buying the product. Beauty brands and marketers have long recognised the power of shaping what we consider beautiful and desirable. But have you ever stopped to consider why you find certain looks, features or styles appealing?

The Myth of Universal Beauty

At its core, defining beauty standards is a powerful form of emotioneering. The marketing engines and cultural influences that promote certain physical attributes, fashion styles or body types over others directly mould our emotional associations with beauty ideals. Seeing the same narrow standards repeatedly reinforced triggers feelings of aspirational desire or even inadequacy for not meeting those idealised norms.

Mapping Subjective Influences

However, seasoned emotioneers understand that universal beauty is a myth. Perceived beauty is deeply personal, shaped by individual experiences, cultural exposures, and psychological predispositions. By tapping into these subjective influences, brands can emotioneering highly specialised and targeted versions of what “beauty” looks and feels like for different segments. What life experiences or influences have shaped your own concept of beauty?

Crafting Emotional Resonance

For some audiences, rugged, athletic physiques projecting strength and power evoke desired emotions. For others, approachable, lower-intensity looks feel more comfortably aspirational and beautiful. Smart emotioneers study intersections of influences like age, ethnicity, geographical environment, hobbies and belief systems to reverse-engineer the most provocative emotional territory to target.

This principle of crafting emotional resonance extends well beyond just physical appearance into other product realms as well. In the world of software and digital experiences, emotioneers carefully study how different user groups emotionally respond to various design elements, interaction patterns, and functionality.

For instance, an emotioneered secure file-sharing app targeting IT professionals may aim to instill feelings of control, robustness, and authority through its UI and messaging. Conversely, an emotioneered photo editing app for creative consumers might vibe maximalism, playfulness, and unleashed artistic expression. What emotional notes a product strikes shape whether a user perceives it as an innate problem-solving ally or an unsatisfying hassle.

From the interaction micromoments to the holistic user journey, thoughtful emotioneers map the emotional pathways that transform digital bits into resonant human experiences. Do certain software aesthetics, features, or processes amplify your sense of delight, confidence, or creative freedom? The most impactful players understand how to intentionally thread those emotional highlights throughout their digital products.

Imprinting the Beholder’s Eye

Ultimately, while the “beauty in the eye” idiom hints at subjectivity, the most sophisticated emotioneers appreciate that no perspective on beauty is untainted – emotional perceptions around beauty are constantly imprinted, whether by intention or environment. By meticulously mapping the influences and ingrained experiences that shape different beholders’ eyes, emotioneers attain power to systematically shift what emotional notes the idea of “beauty” strikes for any desired audience. Does recognising these influences make you more aware of how your own perceptions may have been shaped?

Further Reading

Lindstrom, M. (2008). Buyology: Truth and lies about why we buy. Doubleday.