Emotional Response

Also known as: Emotional Resonance, Affective Response, Emotional Impact

Measurement of the emotions evoked by an ad, packaging, or brand experience using declarative scales or emotion detection technology.

Emotional Response in advertising research measures which specific emotions an advertising piece evokes in the consumer—joy, surprise, trust, excitement, nostalgia, humor—and with what intensity.

It is measured in two ways: (1) Declarative methods—the consumer reports which emotions they felt using emotional response scales like the SAM (Self-Assessment Manikin) or predefined emotion lists; (2) Implicit methods—using facial coding, pupillometry, or galvanic skin response technologies that measure automatic emotional response without cognitive filters.

Emotional response is one of the most robust predictors of long-term advertising effectiveness. Ads that generate strong emotional responses—positive or negative but relevant—tend to build brand equity more effectively than purely informational ads.