The concept of mind positivity plays a key role in advertising. It is a strategy that uses positive emotions, optimism and inspirational messages to strengthen the connection between the brand and the audience. Central themes include joy, hope and authenticity. Psychological studies show that ads evoking strong emotions are better remembered by audiences because emotions influence information processing and attitudes. Brands linking products with positive emotions gain customer loyalty.
Positive campaigns have a significant impact on profitability. According to the UK IPA, emotion-focused ads are up to twice as profitable as rationally oriented ones. A long-term emotional connection to a brand reduces customer price sensitivity. The IPA recommends a 40:60 ratio between sales promotion and brand building. For example, Aldi's campaign increased sales by 30% year-on-year and achieved a 214% ROI. Campaigns for brands such as Doritos and Nissan have seen similar success.
Neuromarketing measurements show that ads that appeal to emotions are not only more memorable but also have a higher impact on buying behaviour. For example, a study tracking US Super Bowl ads found that an emotionally charged Doritos chips ad elicited a 25% stronger response than a competing Pepsi ad, which translated into higher brand recall. At the same time, research confirms that if an ad is visible for at least 1-2 seconds, its ability to stick in the mind increases up to 45%.
Advertising shapes perceptions, values and decision-making. Mind positivity helps brands achieve success through positive emotions, inspiring stories and ethical practices. Strong narratives build loyalty - Nike, for example, motivates people to overcome obstacles, while other campaigns target social identity. According to an analysis by DAIVID and WARC, the most effective ads evoke intense positive emotions. 59.2% of the best performing ads work with admiration (15.1%), hope (10.6%) and respect (8%). Campaigns that build on inspiration (15.6%), satisfaction (11.7%) and knowledge (10.6%) have the greatest sales impact. Emotions such as warmth (23.1%), trust (8.5%) and calm (12%) contribute not only to immediate success but also to long-term loyalty.
There is psychology behind it all
As already mentioned, positive advertising is a scientifically based strategy that has proven to be effective in building customer relationships and increasing brand recall. Emotions play a key role in the decision-making process. People do not buy products based on rational arguments alone. It is the emotional connection to the brand that makes the difference.
For example, a 2020 Frontiers study concludes that ads that evoke positive emotions have a greater impact on customer decision-making than those that rely on logic and facts. This effect is related to the way the brain processes information - it naturally favours faster and less stressful decisions. Positive emotions promote trust in the brand and reduce stress, which increases the likelihood that the customer will complete the purchase. Coca-Cola’s Open Happiness ads, for example, work on this principle.
The improved memorability of positive content can be explained by several psychological principles that the ads use. The first is the ‘peak-end rule’ - people remember the most intense moment and the end of the ad best. If both are positive, customers will have a better overall impression, even though the rest of the content may not be exceptional. The second principle is the mere exposure effect - the more often people are exposed to a stimulus, the more they like it. If an ad is emotionally pleasing, customers will continue to perceive it positively in the future.
Storytelling is a key element. It is one of the most powerful advertising tools because the human brain is naturally wired to process stories. Storytelling activates the emotional centres of the brain, which increases engagement and memorability of the message. It also facilitates customer identification - if we recognise ourselves in the story, we feel a stronger connection to the brand. This leads to a deeper emotional response and higher loyalty. The aforementioned storytelling practices, which Nike uses extensively, are an ideal example.
It’s a pleasure to see such an advertisement
Storytelling is not the only tool for creating positive emotions in advertising. On the contrary, companies use thoughtful strategies to evoke pleasant feelings and leave a lasting impression. Colours, music and visuals play an important role - just like in everyday life. We know from colour psychology that warm shades (such as yellow and orange) evoke joy and energy, while blue and green evoke calm and confidence. The audience’s emotional reactions are also influenced by the melody and rhythm of the music. If an advertisement wants to evoke a positive response, it chooses a cheerful melody rather than a sombre variation on a classical piece of music.
Equally important is what we see. Dynamic scenes, smiling people and a friendly environment help to create an atmosphere of well-being and happiness. The themes of self-acceptance and personal authenticity are often explored. Other ads contain inspirational and motivational elements that encourage viewers to overcome obstacles and achieve goals, appealing to their sense of personal growth and confidence. Some simply aim to illustrate the joy of everyday life.
Bottom line - brands that properly implement elements of mind positivity into their advertising strategies reap many benefits. They are rewarded with increased customer loyalty, improved media image and increased sales as consumers tend to choose products they associate with pleasurable feelings.
The following are examples of advertising campaigns that can be considered part of an imaginary pantheon of the most successful.
Joy of success or success of joy?
It has been mentioned here several times - the American clothing brand Nike is inherently linked to the message of inspiration and motivation in the marketing world. These values permeate all its advertising campaigns. Nike has long built on promoting the spirit of sportsmanship, as seen in the Just Do It campaign. The company motivates people to overcome limits and not give up on seemingly unattainable goals. Stories of athletes whose careers are built on perseverance, determination and the ability to face challenges served as the main vehicle. Thanks to strong storytelling and emotive music, the audience can easily identify with the ad. If it evokes the belief that everyone has the potential to succeed, the marketers’ message has truly taken root.
Video: Nike - Just Do It (1988) - Very first commercial
Video: Nike - Just Do It Spec AD
Advertising, however, doesn’t have to be motivational only as a heroic conflict between the individual and the world. Dove became famous for its Real Beauty campaign, in which the company boosted female consumers’ self-esteem by breaking pop culture stereotypes. It focused on real women instead of models and emphasised that acceptance of one’s appearance is the key to self-esteem. It is an ad that builds on authentic stories and emotions and defines itself against idealised beauty standards. Instead, it relies on the power of authenticity.
Video: Dove #RealBeauty Is Universal | Celebrate all types of beauty
The brand built on this idea in 2023 with the #TurnYourBack campaign, which responded to harmful beauty filters on social media. Specifically, it targeted the Bold Glamour filter on TikTok, urging women to “turn their backs” on these unrealistic ideals and embrace their natural beauty. The campaign went viral, racking up over 365 million views in its first week, showing how strongly this issue resonates across generations.
Video: GRAND PRIX Dove Turn Your Back
The brand Always worked similarly with stereotypes in its award-winning Like a Girl campaign. This 2014 ad spot sought to transform the negative phrase “like a girl” into a symbol of strength and determination. The ad shows how differently adults and children perceive the phrase - while the older generation often sees it as an insult, younger girls associate it with energy and commitment. With a simple but powerful message, the campaign not only boosted girls’ self-esteem but also triggered a wider social discussion about gender stereotypes. The spot won many awards, including the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and became one of the most talked about advertising projects of its time.
Video: Always #LikeAGirl
Not every positive ad has to have grand ambitions. Multinational food giant Coca-Cola has long worked with the emotions of joy and friendship. The Open Happiness campaign highlights the idea that we should enjoy the present moment and share joy with others. This may seem like a trite message, but it is perhaps more necessary than ever in this day and age. Coca-Cola seeks to be as inclusive as possible, so its ads depict people of different ages, races and cultures. According to the brand, happiness lies in appreciating everyday pleasures.
Video: Coca-Cola - Open Happiness
Apple is building on a similar principle of inclusivity. The Greatest ad celebrates people with various disabilities and shows how Apple technology helps them in their everyday lives. This emotive story won the Golden Lion in the Film Craft category at the Cannes Lions in 2023, proving that a truly powerful message doesn’t have to be about products, but about people.
Video: ▷ ANUNCIO de APPLE y la ACCESIBILIDAD: “THE GREATEST”
Scandinavian furniture company IKEA is an expert at capturing ordinary joys. In its marketing, it emphasises the simplicity and beauty of everyday life, which also influences the perception of its products. The concept of a widely available ‘assembly kit for adults’ combines practicality with joy. This is beautifully illustrated in The Wonderful Everyday campaign, which shows how IKEA products improve the home - and thus the quality of life. These ads have a warm, calm feel and inspire the viewer to find happiness in small pleasures.
Video: IKEA – Hooray! To the Wonderful Everyday - TV Advert 60" #WonderfulEveryday
A different approach to communicating a positive message was taken by insurer UNIQA, focusing on the sensitive topic of mental health in 2023. Its Czech-Slovak campaign called Speak honestly about mental discomfort opened up the discussion about mental wellbeing and helped destigmatise the topic in the public space. Collaboration with athletes Martina Dubovská and Petra Vlhová added authenticity to the campaign, and the practical outcome was an online Mental Health Test, which was completed by 320,000 people. The initiative won the EFFIE AWARD Europe Bronze in the Positive Change - Social Good category.
Video: Talk honestly about mental discomfort
Fashion multi-brand MODIVO celebrates the power of personality and the value of authenticity in its latest campaign. It focuses on the lives of real women whose inner and physical strength inspires others to perform extraordinarily and enjoy life to the fullest. Heroines with different histories and worldviews have become the cornerstones of the campaign and guide us through their concept of authenticity in short video spots. This campaign emphasises that fashion is an unforgettable element in our everyday lives and that everyone can express their uniqueness through clothing.
Video: New collections that will make you fall in love with fashion all over again
We will end this excursion with a campaign that completely resigns to product presentation and emphasises human stories built on values such as hope and solidarity. Year in Search is Google’s annual project that provides a summary of the most searched events and topics of the year. The ad builds on a powerful principle - it uses user data to convey a global story. It shows that searching for answers connects people across continents. It’s a message that is not only necessary but essential today.
Video: Google - Year in Search 2024
Better times are ahead
Current trends in advertising suggest that a positive attitude will remain a key element of successful campaigns. Socio-economic changes, a focus on mental health and the development of digital technologies are pushing ads towards greater authenticity and meaningfulness. Consumers are more educated and sensitive to idealised or manipulative ads, forcing companies to create content with real people, stories and emotions.
Social media is a double-edged sword. They allow for more direct interaction between brands and customers and reinforce the emphasis on personal, positive content. But at the same time, their lack of limits poses a risk. Video formats like TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels increase the pressure for short, emotionally charged ads, which distorts the traditional advertising world to some extent. Yet users continue to prefer brands that promote inclusivity, empathy and joy.
All indications are that the future belongs to ads that are not just about selling, but also about inspiring and positively impacting society. We can expect to see more and more campaigns focused on sustainability, long-term impact and community benefit. Mind positivity is thus becoming not just a marketing strategy, but part of corporate and wider culture.