Over 50% of all purchases are made spur of the moment, with no prior planning. It’s a huge opportunity for emerging brands to capture those impulse purchases, but first, we need to understand what emotions trigger impulse buyers.

The beverage category in particular is a great case study of the impulse moment. Research shows that 57% of consumers will choose where they want to purchase their beverage before deciding what exactly they want to drink. In a way, it’s a planned spur-of-the-moment decision, driven by in-store promotions and packaging— powerful motivators for impulse buyers, who are driven by emotion over practicality.

Coca-Cola has made a killing with impulse purchases by leveraging the perfect mix of unique merchandising and emotionally driven messages. They strategically place eye-catching in-store displays in the “impulse zone” near the checkout, paired with simple and effective messages like “Thirsty?” And we all remember the wildly successful Share-a-Coke campaign, which had folks tracking down their own name alongside friends and family.

What impulse shopping shows us is that a deep understanding of your customers and their shopping habits can reveal endless opportunities to connect in unexpected places and innovative ways. And the most successful brands will be those able to tap into the emotional triggers of their audience at the right time, with the right placement, and the right message.

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