There are two types of people in this world:

People who have cried watching an ad

Emotional advertising is not new to the industry in any sense of the word.

However, I do feel as our creative capabilities expand, marketers' abilities to evoke a deeply emotional response from their audience becomes more effective.

Ads are becoming almost like mini films. They play on insights and reflect truths that are sometimes so subconscious, we haven't even realised them ourselves.

They're a mirror of the cultural mood. And will become important relics of the zeitgeist they reflect in years to come.

How many times have you watched a 'feel good' piece of creative that leaves you with a more positive perception of the brand? Maybe you haven't even thought about it happening.

But I can guarantee you it does.

That's why 85% of consumers buy from companies with which they have strong emotional connections. Not only that, they're likely to also spend more money. Cha-Ching.

Why is this? Well, emotional connection creates preference over competition.

If your audience feels you give a sh*t more than the next guy, and can resonate with your messaging, you create long-term loyalty between them and your brand. And this drives higher conversion.

This action could be simply buying something from you. Or it could be sharing your beautifully emotionally captivating ad around the internet, creating thousands, if not millions, more positive associations with your brand.

However, tapping into the core emotions and psychologies that drive your audiences is not a simple task. You have to do it with tact and finesse.

The most commonly used emotion present in creative advertising is happiness. We're more likely to share positive ads than negative ones, because people in general like sharing positive content.

And let's be honest, nobody wants to see your messy ad spot that aimlessly upsets people. Dick.

This 4-and-a-half-minute spot highlights the taboos and stigmas around transgendered people in Thailand. It features the story of Rock Kwanlada, first runner-up for Miss Tiffany Universe, 2017.

In the ad, Kwanlada narrates her story about her father growing up. She talks about her dad pressuring her to act like a boy, despite always being inclined to being a girl.

By the end of the film, her dad accepts her and welcomes her into his arms in a beautiful closing scene.

The ad had an instant effect, garnering 2.5 million organic views in the first 48 hours. Why? Because it beautifully touched on a real-world issue close to people's hearts.

The ad came at a highly politically tense time, and featured Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback. You know, the player best known for kneeling during the pre-game National Anthem in protest to the racial injustices in the U.S.

'Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. Just do it.' was the slogan used.

The ad won the award for Outstanding Commercial at the Creative Arts Emmys. And Nike sales surged 31% in the days after its release.