Guilt is a strong emotion.

And non-profit organizations use it all the time to get people to part with cash.

But it works for brands in other industries too.

You can make the consumer feel guilty for a number of things —overspending, overindulging, smoking, texting, not exercising, not being patriotic, not spending enough time with their kids, being homophobic or misogynistic, being prejudiced against other cultures…you name it.

We carry guilt as individuals.

And we carry it as a society too, for the way we collectively treat women, animals and the less privileged groups among us.

So all you might need to do as a marketer is rekindle that existing guilt and offer your solution.

Notice, too, that there’s a stronger motivation for people to do the right thing when they feel publicly exposed and watched.

But try not to rub their faces in that guilt. Usually, a subtle touch works best.