James Hurman Clarifies Emotion’s Role in Advertising Strategy on LinkedIn

In a recent LinkedIn post, James Hurman clarifies a common misunderstanding regarding the role of emotion in advertising strategy and creative briefs. He addresses a piece by Al Crawford in Mumbrella, agreeing that the leap from creating campaigns that elicit emotion to starting creative briefs with an “emotional proposition” misinterprets the concept as understood by effectiveness researchers.

Hurman emphasizes that while emotional campaigns are indeed effective, their genesis often lies in rational insights or product attributes rather than a pre-defined emotional objective in the brief itself. He uses a well-known example to illustrate this point:

“My go-to is Volvo’s Epic Split, which is a demonstration of the truck’s dynamic steering credentials.”

The Strategic Starting Point for Creativity

Hurman argues that the crucial element for strategists is to identify the most compelling starting point for creative development. This starting point, he explains, is not inherently tied to being human insight or a product fact; its effectiveness is derived from how creatively it is expressed.

He elaborates on this, stating:

“Strategists should always try to find the most interesting starting place for creativity. Sometimes that’s a human insight. Sometimes it’s a product fact. Sometimes it’s something else entirely. Doesn’t matter which. None are more effective starting points than the others.”

According to Hurman, the responsibility then shifts to the creative team to translate this chosen starting point into an engaging and original expression. This creative execution is what ultimately elicits the desired emotional response from the audience.

Emotion as a Result, Not a Briefing Mandate

The core of Hurman’s argument is that emotion is a natural consequence of brilliant creative work, rather than a directive to be handed down in the initial brief. He suggests that creatives excel when they find novel ways to communicate an idea, often employing humor, storytelling, or awe-inspiring demonstrations.

As Hurman puts it:

“Creatives should always find the most original and engaging way of expressing that, which usually results in using humour or storytelling or awe-inspiring demonstrations.”

These creative executions, in turn, are what connect with audiences on an emotional level. This connection is what ultimately drives business results. Hurman concludes by highlighting the tangible business outcomes:

“Which elicit emotion from those who see them. And in doing so build market share, pricing power and profitability.”

Hurman’s post serves as a valuable reminder for marketing professionals to focus on the strategic foundation and creative expression, allowing emotion to flow organically from effective communication, rather than forcing it as an initial brief requirement. This approach, he suggests, is the straightforward path to achieving significant business impact.