Hygge & The Art of Successful Branding on Instagram

It seems like ‘Hygge’ is mentioned a lot these days!

If you are unfamiliar with the term, it is a Danish concept that can’t be translated into any single English word. Actually pronounced ‘hoo-guh,’ it embodies the feeling of coziness, contentment, wellness and comfort.

…..…..a bit like the feeling you get snuggling on the sofa with book, a warm hot chocolate and an open fire, on a rainy Sunday.

The thing about Hygge is that it is not any one single thing. It’s almost impossible to define exactly but is more a combination of feelings that mix and combine into an overall sense of contentment.

Exactly like good Branding!

If you have followed me for a while, you will have heard me talk about a range of terms that make up a branding concept, such as ‘Elements’ (logo, font  etc) ‘Perception’ (how your audience perceives your company in the marketplace) and ‘Promise.’

However, effective long-term branding needs so much more than colour combinations, logos and company promises.

I adore Apple. I have been a loyal customer for as long as I can remember.

Their products have a beautifully simple, clean and modern design. Their shops ooze a sense of advancing technology, manned by funky looking Millennials, who despite making me feel so very old, are also willing to take me with them on their journey into the future!

Apple doesn’t sell computers…….they sell a lifestyle movement that taps into our most basic emotional need; to be part of something bigger than ourselves.

This is called ‘Emotional Branding.’

Research has shown that the stronger the emotional connection, the more consistent customer loyalty becomes.

We fall in love with a brand because of the feelings it creates inside us when we see it.

Just like Hygge, it is a combination of abstract, emotional reactions that merge to create an overall sense of connection.

What feelings do you wish to inspire in your customers?

Soludos sell sandals.On an emotional level, they sell adventure, freedom and fun. Their colours are vibrant and funky. The pictures have an informal candid feel…..a snapshot of a Millennial travelling; smiling, having fun, being young and totally free!They connect with their target market by going to the very root of their emotional desires.With that in mind…….

Exercise

1. Write a list of 5 of the most compelling emotional connections you want your business to create.
They need to connect with your ideal client and their most pressing emotional desires.

2. If this was a lifestyle movement….what would it look like?
Is there a bigger, more universal emotional drive behind your brand? 

3. How can you bring these feelings into your branding in a way that feels authentic?
Look at ways you can represent these feeling through imagery.