Advertise in Congruent Modalities

Customers decide their behavior through simulations.

If a behavior is harder to imagine, it feels harder to do.

For example, you'll struggle to imagine exercising if you're wearing pajamas. But if you change into running clothes, your simulation of exercising will seem easier (and thus more enjoyable).

Same with ads. Find viewers in a bodily state that is conducive to imagining your product.

How to Apply

• Advertise in Similar Topic Domains. An ad for ketchup converted better when it appeared after an ad for mayonnaise because the idea of condiments was already activated in their brain (Lee & Labroo, 2004). Selling a course on cooking? Advertise your course in cooking domains because the idea of “cooking” will already be activated. Viewers can more easily imagine watching your course because of this existing activation.
• Advertise in Similar Mediums. Selling an online course? Advertise via YouTube or other video platforms. Viewers are already watching video content, so they can more easily imagine watching your course because of this congruent modality. Selling a book? Advertise via written mediums (e.g., magazines, blog posts).
• Target Viewers With Congruent Emotions. I noticed that Tums has sponsored Hot Ones, a YouTube show where celebrities eat spicy wings. That’s clever. Humans have mirror neurons — if you watch somebody perform a behavior, like eating spicy food, you simulate this experience. In other words, viewers of Hot Ones are experiencing a body state that can help them simulate the value of antacids.

• Advertise During Congruent Times. Alternatively, Tums could advertise around dinnertime (when viewers are more likely to be experiencing heartburn).

• Lee, A. Y., & Labroo, A. A. (2004). The effect of conceptual and perceptual fluency on brand evaluation. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(2), 151-165.