Why Modern Ads Need a Psychology Degree

Most ads today still act like everyone scrolling is seconds away from buying. The truth: roughly 95% of your potential customers aren’t in the market right now. That doesn’t mean they don’t care; it means they’re just not ready—yet. If your creative only talks to the tiny 5% who are ready to swipe their card, you’re leaving growth on the table.

Modern advertising has to do more than push a product. It has to pull people along a journey, shaping their thoughts and emotions long before they click. Instead of thinking about marketing in terms of a traditional funnel, approach your efforts from a phycological standpoint. The key? Understand the five stages of consumer awareness and show up with the right message at the right mindset. So let’s chat about the first three stages before people even know your brand and how to approach creative for those audiences.

The Stages of Consumer Awareness

Unaware Audiences

Who they are: These people aren’t thinking about your product or even the problem you solve. They’re just scrolling, sipping coffee, and honestly trying to avoid the hundreds of ads they get served on a daily basis.

What drives memorable ads: Anything that stops the scroll. Humor, curiosity, or brand led storytelling of the people behind the logo. Drive people to care about your brand or nudge them to consider if they actually may have a problem that you help address.

How to stand out here: Lead with entertainment and intrigue, not product specs. Quick, relatable videos or playful visuals that tease an idea. Plant a seed of curiosity without selling.

Problem Aware Audiences

Who they are: These audiences know they have an issue but haven’t connected the dots to your solution. Think about it from a health perspective of someone looking to lose weight. They might be frustrated about slow progress, high gym fees, or lack of motivation.

What drives memorable ads: Empathy. Show them you understand their struggle. A fitness subscription could open with “Hitting the gym was easy… until you had a full-time job.” A protein brand might highlight, “You’re doing the workouts, but recovery is holding you back.”

How to stand out: Mirror their challenge back to them. The goal is for them to think, “That’s exactly me.”

Solution Aware Audiences

Who they are: They know the type of product or service that addresses their problem but haven’t picked a brand. This is the sweet spot of where efforts need to be focused when scaling demand.

What drives memorable ads: Clarity and credibility. Highlight what makes you different to drive better outcomes. Don’t list off features but highlight where the audience will end up as a result of using your brand.

How to stand out: Lead with outcomes and what sets you apart to remove doubt consumers may have.

Turn Awareness Into Growth

Great creative isn’t about selling harder; it’s about guiding smarter. Map your ads to these three stages and you’ll stop wasting money shouting at the few who are ready and start earning attention from everyone else.

If you’re looking for help crafting campaigns that resonate across the awareness ladder, Kaizen Shift Studio can help. We offer tailored consulting to build creative strategies that reach the right audience at the right mindset.