Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseHave you ever wondered why you suddenly crave a chocolate bar when you see an advert, or why certain brands make you feel excited whilst others seem boring? The answer lies deep in your mind, in parts you're not even aware of. Psychodynamic theory, developed by Sigmund Freud, explains how our minds work on different levels - and clever marketers use this knowledge to influence what we buy.
This approach to marketing goes beyond simple persuasion. It taps into our deepest desires, fears and motivations that we might not even realise we have. Understanding these psychological principles helps explain why some adverts are incredibly effective whilst others fall flat.
Key Definitions:
Freud believed our personality has three parts that constantly interact and sometimes conflict with each other. Each part influences our buying decisions in different ways and marketers target all three to maximise their impact.
The id is the most primitive part of our mind. It's like a demanding toddler that wants everything NOW. The id operates on the "pleasure principle" - it seeks immediate gratification and avoids pain. It doesn't care about consequences, social rules, or whether something is right or wrong.
Marketers love targeting the id because it's impulsive and doesn't think rationally. They use techniques that trigger immediate desires and create urgency.
Fast food adverts show juicy burgers and melting cheese to trigger instant hunger. The id wants that pleasure immediately, bypassing rational thoughts about health.
"Limited time offer!" and "Only 3 left!" create urgency. The id panics about missing out and wants to buy immediately, before thinking it through.
Expensive brands promise status and pleasure. The id craves the good feelings associated with owning something exclusive and impressive.
McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" campaign targets the id directly. The bright colours, happy music and images of delicious food trigger immediate pleasure responses. The id doesn't consider calories or cost - it just wants the instant satisfaction the advert promises.
The superego is like having a strict parent or teacher in your head. It represents our conscience, moral standards and ideals. The superego makes us feel guilty when we do something wrong and proud when we do something right. It's concerned with being "good" and following social rules.
Smart marketers know that many consumers want to feel good about their purchases. They position their products as morally superior choices that align with our values.
Companies like The Body Shop emphasise cruelty-free products and environmental responsibility. This appeals to consumers' superego - their desire to be ethical.
Organic food brands position themselves as the "responsible" choice for families. Parents' superego feels good about choosing healthier options for their children.
Brands that donate to charity with each purchase appeal to the superego's desire to help others and make a positive difference in the world.
The ego is the referee between the id and superego. It tries to satisfy the id's desires whilst keeping the superego happy, all whilst dealing with reality. The ego operates on the "reality principle" - it considers practical factors like money, time and consequences.
Marketing to the ego involves providing logical reasons to buy, practical benefits and helping consumers justify their purchases to themselves and others.
Car adverts often focus on fuel efficiency, safety ratings and warranty terms. These logical arguments help the ego make sensible decisions that can be easily justified.
Supermarkets emphasise "best value" and "price match guarantees" to appeal to the ego's need to make financially responsible choices.
Apple brilliantly targets all three parts of the mind. The id craves the sleek design and status symbol (pleasure). The superego appreciates the company's environmental initiatives and accessibility features (moral good). The ego is convinced by the practical benefits like security, reliability and ecosystem integration (rational choice).
Much of what influences our buying decisions happens below the surface of conscious awareness. Marketers use various techniques to tap into these unconscious motivations, often without us realising it's happening.
These psychological tricks work on our unconscious mind, influencing our behaviour without us being fully aware of the manipulation.
Red creates urgency and excitement (targeting the id), green suggests health and nature (appealing to the superego), whilst blue conveys trust and reliability (satisfying the ego).
Upbeat music in shops makes us move faster and buy more impulsively. Slow, classical music encourages us to browse longer and consider premium products.
Though controversial and often banned, some advertisers have used barely visible images or words to influence unconscious thoughts and desires.
Psychodynamic marketing recognises that emotions, not logic, drive most purchasing decisions. Brands that create strong emotional connections with consumers often enjoy lifelong loyalty, even when competitors offer better products or prices.
Coca-Cola doesn't sell soft drinks - it sells happiness, friendship and shared moments. These emotional associations become so strong that the brand feels like part of our identity.
Brands like Nike don't just sell trainers - they sell the identity of being an athlete, a winner, someone who "Just Does It". This appeals to our deepest desires about who we want to be.
Using psychodynamic principles in marketing raises important ethical questions. Is it fair to manipulate unconscious desires? Should there be limits on how marketers can influence our behaviour?
Critics argue that psychodynamic marketing can be manipulative, especially when targeting vulnerable groups like children or people with mental health issues. Supporters claim it simply helps brands communicate more effectively with consumers.
Many countries have introduced regulations to protect consumers from excessive psychological manipulation. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority monitors adverts to ensure they're not misleading or harmful, particularly those targeting children.
Today's marketers use sophisticated technology to apply psychodynamic principles more effectively than ever before. Social media algorithms, personalised advertising and data analytics allow brands to target our unconscious motivations with unprecedented precision.
Social media platforms use psychological principles to keep us scrolling. The unpredictable rewards (likes, comments) trigger the same pleasure centres that gambling does, keeping us engaged and exposed to advertising.
AI systems analyse our behaviour to predict what will appeal to our individual id, ego and superego. This creates highly targeted advertising that feels personally relevant and harder to resist.