Have you ever talked with a friend about a random topic and then forgot why that came into your mind? Do you think that you talked about it just because it popped up in your head without any explanation? Well, contrary to what you think, there is a reason. That reason is called trigger.

Triggers are inducements that can link a similar or related concepts in your head. They are used in marketing for strategic purposes during the selling process to sway customers into buying products and services. For example, what is the first thing it comes in your mind when I say “peanut butter”? The answer is most likely “jelly”. What if I mention the color red? The most common responses are Christmas, Santa Claus, or Coca-Cola. As well, the word “dog” reminds you of the word “cat”, and so on. Why? Because of the association present in your head.

Associating a color, a concept, a slang, a song, or an ordinary moment during the day can trigger you to think about a specific brand or product. In the mind of the customer, that correlation is relevant when it comes to purchasing one product over another. It means that stimuli in your environment can influence the first thought that comes to mind.

Research shows that playing French songs in a liquor store can trigger a customer to buy French wine. The smell of Pizza on the street can trigger a hungry customer to buy pizza for dinner. A movie projecting a beautiful, white beach on a hot summer day can trigger you to think about purchasing Corona. The point is that sights, smells, and sounds are triggers that create relatable experiences or memories you had in your past. Think about the word “hot dog”. The American food icon is often related to summertime barbeques, baseball games, friends, and beers.

How triggers generate word of mouth?

Companies use triggers in advertisements because they are powerful and increase brand recognition, but how?

We previously mentioned that triggers can be a reminder of a related concept, idea, product, or brand. Triggers activate an impression in your mind that will lead to a certain behavior or action. With constant reminders, people will talk, and the brand (or product) will be subconsciously in the head of the customer more and more over time.

Triggers create habits or emphasize them. However, we must also think about the context. It is essential to examine when they matter. For example, a Cheerios commercial will be displayed in the morning rather than in the evening. The purpose is to create an energetic, nutrient-filled image in the mind of their consumers. On the other end of the spectrum, a Budweiser commercial will be focused on commercial breaks of athletic events. In both cases, the companies recognize who their target audience is and capitalize on the opportunity to stimulate brand recognition.

In one of his books, marketing professor Jonah Berger described that triggers generate two types of word of mouth:

1.      Immediate word of mouth: when the customer reflects on an event or experience right after it occurs (i.e. a movie you just watched) or,

2.      Ongoing word of mouth: when the customer refers to the message weeks or months after he or she has experienced the event (an antibullying campaign).

Jonah explained that ongoing word of mouth is more effective for specific products or ideas because the consumer will remember the association for a longer time. The customer will be more inclined to buy the product again in the long-term.

For companies to keep consumers talking, they must design ideas that are easily triggered by the environment and remember that

top of the mind means tip of the tongue.