When you come across the phrase “emotional ads,” you likely envision those heart-wrenching commercials like Subaru’s tearjerkers or the ASPCA ads featuring Sarah McLachlan.

For instance. While these ads are undoubtedly powerful, it’s not necessary to reduce your audience to tears to craft an impactful emotional ad. You don’t necessarily need music, videos, or even images in some cases. In reality, numerous businesses similar to yours effectively incorporate emotion into their marketing through their ad copy. That’s precisely what we’ll be exploring today. Continue reading to discover 13 emotional ad copywriting techniques, accompanied by 21 examples illustrating them, and over 85 words and phrases inspired by them to enhance your own copy.

Select your desired emotion

Click to navigate directly to any emotional ad copy style.

Negative Emotional Ad Copy Examples

When employed strategically, negative emotions tend to be more potent motivators compared to positive ones. Let’s examine some ads that excel in this aspect.

Planting Seeds of Doubt

Occasionally, a tiny seed of doubt is all it takes to spur action. Take this Facebook ad from Mailchimp as an example. It begins with, “Freelancers understand the need to hustle for success—just avoid hustling too hard. Why?” It then presents statistics revealing that overworked freelancers generate less revenue. The ad creative further poses the question, “Are you overdoing it?”

Wait a minute. Could it be that your perception of reality isn’t entirely accurate? Are you truly pushing yourself too hard? Downloading that report might provide some insights.

Words and Phrases for Sowing Seeds of Doubt

• Are you absolutely certain?
• Can you truly be sure?
• When was the last time you assessed your…?
• Do you actually know what your ___ is?
• Relying solely on your instincts isn’t always reliable

Speaking the Hard Truth

There’s no room for doubt or ambiguity here. 360Learning takes a bold stance by declaring that traditional eLearning “is no longer effective,” “destined for failure,” and responsible for “the most significant learning crisis in recent history.” If I were searching for learning management software, I wouldn’t invest in something deemed likely to fail. I’d definitely want to explore more about the learning process itself.

Vocabulary for Conveying Hard Truths

• Falling short of expectations
• The reality is…
• We dislike being the bearers of bad news, but…
• We have both positive and negative news…
• The sole factor is…
• No longer effective
• Destined for failure
• On a rapid path to failure
• The truth is…

Igniting Indignant Anger

In certain situations, you can highlight a pain point in your ad that your customer might not be fully conscious of. For instance, this ad kicks off with, “Spending the majority of your day waiting at the pharmacy is simply unacceptable.” Someone who has always relied on the same pharmacy or an older individual with ample patience might not realize there are better options available. This Facebook ad copy introduces the problem and encourages a feeling of assertiveness in pursuing what one deserves.

Let’s look at another example. SoFi, known for its conversational tone, features a video of a woman stranded in the rain. The accompanying text states, “Broker left you out in the cold? Find warmth in an investing relationship with SoFi – and pay $0 in commission fees.” The Facebook ad headline then boldly declares, “Break up with bad brokers.”

Lastly, this Google Ad from a law firm proclaims, “Don’t be bullied by insurance companies. Regain control. Discuss your rights today.”

Phrases to Ignite Indignant Anger

• You are deserving of better
• Steer clear of greedy ____
• Put an end to
• You shouldn’t have to endure
• The ____ game has ended
• Don’t allow ____ to manipulate you
• You are not a pushover
• You possess more worth than ____

The Playful Warning

These ads aim to evoke laughter while also conveying a sense of seriousness…

Consider this ad featuring a wide-eyed cat with the caption, “That sinking feeling when you forget to use Capital One Shopping and end up overpaying online.” The sense of urgency heightens with the subsequent line, “You’ll want to check this out ASAP.”

Words & Phrases of Caution

While this strategy can be applied with any emotion, if your aim is to evoke regret or panic, these trigger words and phrases can be effective:

• Oh no
• If only…
• You could have saved yourself…
• Hindsight
• Could have, should have, would have
• Facepalm
• Looking back
• Seize the opportunity
• Lost chance
• Better to be safe than sorry
• It seemed like a wise choice at the time…
• Is it really though?

The Subtle Threat

The examples below target Talkspace’s Employee Stress Check Report. There isn’t an explicit threat—just statistics. A minimum of 25% of employees consistently underperform due to stress. Over 40% are likely to seek new employment to alleviate stress. The ad then suggests learning more from a report aptly titled “The Tipping Point Between Retention and Resignation.”

Did you catch that? To managers and HR personnel, they’re not explicitly stating your employees are on the verge of quitting…but many do…just saying.

Words & Phrases for a Subtle Threat

• On the brink
• Just X (minutes, clicks, experiences) away from…
• When you least anticipate it
• Never
• Under the surface
• Unintentionally
• Failing to realize
• Accidentally overlooking
• Misrepresenting

The Overt Threat

Alternatively, you could opt for a straightforward statement like CallRail does. This display ad boldly states, “You’re squandering money on marketing.” The call to action then invites you to “Discover where, for free.”

Well executed.

Words Conveying an Overt Threat

Tell your audience they are:

• Wasting valuable time
• Discarding precious ____
• Breaking down
• Offending others
• Overlooking crucial aspects
• Overspending significantly
• Wasting money

Positive Emotional Ad Copy Examples

Constantly using emotional words and phrases to evoke negative feelings isn’t ideal. Here are some positive examples and strategies to create a sense of balance.

The Hero

This Facebook ad immediately grabs your attention by capturing that feeling of overwhelm and defeat. It features a mother surrounded by chaos in her living room, with the text overlay, “My house used to be clean, then school let out…” The main text then states, “That feeling when you realize the house will be a disaster zone until August…but wait, there’s no need to panic! The Maids can help restore order with regularly scheduled cleanings, or a deep clean to reset the house after school starts in the fall.”

Within seconds, we transition from stressed to relieved, thanks to this cleaning service.

Words to Provide Relief

• But hold on, don’t panic just yet!
• Don’t let it stress you out
• We’ve got you taken care of
• No need to worry
• Fear not
• We have good news
• ____ is challenging….but not anymore
• The struggle is officially over
• From woes to victories
• Don’t sweat it

The Reassurer

If there’s one universal human desire, it’s control. And what better way to convey that than with a clever play on words? This ad from a local moving company states, “You’re in the driver’s seat at Red Rover. You load the unit, drive the truck, and we store it!”

Moreover, in fewer than 10 words, I clearly understand what to anticipate from this service. That’s concise and persuasive copywriting.

Words to Empower Your Customers

• You make the decisions
• You set the tempo
• Take control of the situation
• Take back what’s yours
• You’re in the driver’s seat
• We understand completely
• Backed by data
• Head honcho

The Curiosity Sparker

While not groundbreaking, this remains a tried and true copywriting method. This particular ad by GRIN piques curiosity and hints at exclusivity: “We gathered insider tips from 14 leading eCommerce brands. Uncover the secrets for yourself.” Words like “insider,” “uncover,” “take a peek,” and “secrets” suggest there’s valuable information I’m missing. And even if I consider myself an expert, I’m compelled to download the guide to confirm.

Words to Evoke Curiosity

• Curious to learn more?
• See the evidence for yourself
• Allow us to challenge your perspective
• Try to resist ____
• Uncover the truth
• Take a closer look
• There’s something for everyone
• You’ll wish you had known sooner
• Hacks/tricks

The Visionary

One effective approach to addressing customer pain points is by evoking a sense of possibility and potential. Instead of stating “we help you do X,” this ad centers on the customer: “Imagine comparing your surgical data to that of other US surgeons. Our integrated mobile app puts this information at your fingertips.”

Here’s another example:

Words for Inspiring Possibility

• What if you had the ability to…?
• Let us paint you a picture…
• Have you ever contemplated…?
• Beyond limitations
• Could you envision…?
• Pushing boundaries
• Pioneer
• Rethink/reimagine

The Go-Getter

The “stop X-ing start Y-ing” technique effectively conveys confidence (beyond featuring a photo of yourself striking a power pose on a rock). It involves urging your reader to take action that benefits them. This ad confidently states, “Stop merely dreaming about owning your own travel agency franchise and start living it!”

Words to Inspire Action

• The time for waiting is over….start X now!
• What are you holding out for?
• It won’t accomplish itself
• You’ve waited long enough
• This doesn’t have to remain a fantasy
• If not you, then who? If not now, when?
• The opportune moment is now
• This is your time to shine
• Pull the trigger
• Your move (P.S. Speaking of action For additional CTA inspiration, download our complimentary guide: The 36 Best Call to Action Phrases (Ever))

The Wooer

This ad evokes a similar feeling, but instead of urging the customer to actively pursue something, it acknowledges an existing quality—or something they aspire to embody. It states, “You’re an innovator at your core. Your curiosity fuels ideas. Every day at HPE presents a new opportunity to leave your mark.”

Words to Appeal to Your Customers

To employ this technique effectively, contemplate how your target audience would like to be perceived. Here are some starting points:

• Hardworking
• Talented
• Authentic
• Unique
• Passionate
• Committed Exploring your core values can also be helpful in this regard.

The Idealist

The ad below proclaims, “You’re merely clicks away from equity-free funding through Shopify Capital – designed to adapt to your business as you grow.” The accompanying creative displays a notification stating “You’re eligible for funding.” Another ad for this product utilizes phrases like “There’s a simpler method to sell online and in person” and “Bypass the stress and make the switch.”

Notice the recurring theme? Clicks away…equity-free…flow….eligible…easier way…skip the stress. While the Maids example above employs the pain-agitate-solution formula, this one immerses you in the relief of the solution itself. It invites you to experience a seamless journey filled with green lights, so to speak – not to mention the green color scheme used in the ad creative.

Words and Phrases to Convey the Ideal State

• With remarkable ease
• Seamlessly integrated
• Effortlessly achieved
• In a matter of minutes And there you have it! Which emotional copywriting approach will you experiment with? Perhaps woo your customers with affirmations or deliver a subtle threat backed by a compelling statistic? For a more in-depth understanding, consider exploring this guide to learn more about neuromarketing techniques. Here’s a recap of the list:

1. Planting Seeds of Doubt
2. Speaking the Hard Truth
3. Igniting Indignant Anger
4. The Playful Warning
5. The Subtle Threat
6. The Overt Threat
7. The Hero
8. The Reassurer
9. The Curiosity Sparker
10. The Visionary
11. The Go-Getter
12. The Wooer
13. The Idealist