Introduction to NeuroMarketing
“Neuromarketing is the application of neuroscience to marketing.”
Recent discoveries in Neuroscience research (aka brain studies) has taken the world by storm giving opportunity to Marketers to explore human minds with more precision.
This 5 mintute introduction to neuromarketing will cover the below topics:
What is Neuromarketing?
“Neuromarketing is the formal study of the brain’s responses to advertising and branding, and the adjustment of those messages based on feedback.”
In other words, Neuroscience in marketing includes the direct use of brain imaging, scanning, or other brain activity measurement technology to measure a subject’s response to specific products, packaging, advertising, or other marketing elements.
Similarly, the study of the brain is also referred to as ‘Brainfluence’, ‘Neuroscience in Marketing’, ‘Cognition’ studies and similar phrases.
In some cases, the brain responses measured by these techniques may not be consciously perceived by the subject; therefor, this data may be more revealing and accurate than traditional market research techniques (self-reporting on surveys, in focus groups, etc.)
Neuroscience and marketing
Researchers use technologies to measure specific types of brain activity in response to advertising messages. With this information, companies learn why consumers make the decisions, and what parts of the brain are motivating them to do so.
Pretty cool, right?
However, despite such a widespread influence many people do not know the true capabilities of marketing.
What are the benefits of NeuroMarketing?
David Ogilvvy, sums the value of neuromarkering brilliantly:
“Consumers don’t think how they feel. They don’t say what they think and they don’t do what they say.”
The premise of neuromarketing is simple: Consumers can lie; statistics don’t.
It’s estimated that 95 percent of all thought occurs in our subconscious minds—which traditional research methods can’t measure. Even if consumers aren’t lying, they very often may not properly articulate what they’re thinking.
Neuromarketing includes the direct use of brain imaging, scanning, or other brain activity measurement technology to measure a subject’s response, providing accurate and transparent results.
Consumers are subconsciously defining what they want, how much they will pay, and maybe even what promotional activities appeal to them every day. The key to getting results with less is understanding this.
Using neuromarketing, you can rethink your strategies and create smarter marketing that will boost the effectiveness of your efforts. The goal of it is to understand how your customer’s brain actually works and what affects your marketing will have on the population of consumers.
Where industries make use of cognition studies?
The full stack of Neuromarketing is an expensive investment. Some of the technology can cost millions of £s’ and conduction of research requires time, skilled staff, and sufficient investment. True neuromarketing is primarily used by large (or at least heavily subsidized) companies and organizations.
For instance, some recent examples include:
- Google partnered with NeuroFocus (Nielsen owned – biometrics research company) to see users sensory response to YouTube advertisements.
- Microsoft uses EEG data to analyse users’ interactions with cmputers.
- Frito-Lay studied the female brain in order to learn how to better position advertising.
- The Weather Channel used EEGs as well as eye-tracking technology and GSR to refine its messaging and programming for maximum impact.
Above all – neuromarketing techniques have evolved over the years, giving low-cost entry points for small scale researchers and advertisers.
Therefor new Neuromarketing studies are now widely used by many media agencies, universities and even public sectors around the globe.
The available tools will likely grow exponentially within the next few years as we se the emergence of gaming/tracking consoles inter-connected with brain waves.
See example case studies below:
Key Techniques used in Neuromarketing
Neuroscience techniques employed in neuromarketing can be categorised under three groups:
- Methods using brain physiological activity (central nervous system,).
- Methods using physiological activity (peripheral nervous system).
- Techniques that register behavior and conduct.
As of 2020 there are 11 popular neuromarketing techniques used within the field…
1. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Brain’s electrical activity is analyzed and registered by a headband or helmet that has small sensors, which are placed on the scalp. This method detects changes in the electrical currents of brain waves.
2. Functional Magnetic Resonance (fMRI)
Participants lie in a bed and with their heads surrounded by a scanner that tracks the variations in blood oxygenation in the brain, which are correlated to neuronal activity.
3. Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
MEG analyzes and registers magnetic activity in the brain with a helmet that contains 100-300 sensors. This is a method that detects changes in magnetic fields that have been induced by the electrical activity of the brain.
4. Positron-emission tomography (PET)
PET is an invasive technique where short life radiopharmaceutical are injected intravenously in the body. Changes in chemical composition can be detected in structures of the brain.
Steady State Topography (SST)
SST measures the variation in visual evoked potentials SSVEP measured in the EEG activity of the subject when exposed to visual stimuli
6. Electrocardiogram (ECG )
One of the most employed technologies in neuromarketing. With the ring, we can measure the emotional activation produced in a time interval that oscillates between a calmness state and an excitation state
7. Galvanic skin response (GSR )
GSR evaluates the galvanic response or skin perspiration (GSR). This method measures and registers slight changes in the responses of skin conductance.
8. Eye-tracking
Eye-trackers identify and register gaze patterns to explain the visual path as a response to a specific stimulus and therefore obtain information on visual attention.
9. Facial Electromyogram (fEMG):
Facial electromyography (fEMG) is a method that measures and registers the voluntary and involuntary movements of facial muscles to comprehend the emotions correlated with certain facial expressions.
10. Facial Coding
Measures the movements of facial muscles, using a camera for recording the facial microexpressions (voluntary and involuntary), associated with specific states while participants are exposed to stimuli.
1.1, Implicit Response Test (IRT)
With these type of techniques, what we actually measure is the reaction time: the time elapsed for the participants to classify concepts using the keyboard or screen. External tracking is not requierd.
Learn more about Neuromarketing techniques and how you can access them for your operations.
Learn more about neuromarketing.
Complete our 7 module introduction course to Neuriomarketing. Training materialscoming soon.