The Neurology of Marketing

I began reading a fascinating book this weekend, entitled Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, by Martin Lindstrom!  We often discuss why our audiences/clients/consumers/patients do the things they do.  Lindstrom, an international marketing and branding expert commissioned a three year study that goes beyond the usual qualitative, quantitative and tracking methodologies to look at how our brain architecture activates when we make behavioral decisions or respond to a marketing strategy.

Lindstrom commissioned a three year study that utilized MRI scans and SST (Steady State Typography, a kind of electroencephalography) to look at whether and how participants' brain activity changes when they are exposed to marketing stimuli. The study, overseen by a hospital ethics panel, involved 2,081 volunteers from China, England, Germany, Japan and the United States. The genesis of the study was the author's repeated observations that people would say they planned to do one thing, but actually did another--or that they stated a belief, but acted contrary to that belief.  (Thus, coporations had no better understanding of why customers make buying decisions, and so continued in their customary marketing strategies, whether successful or not.)

I am only into the second chapter, but some of the amazing findings I have read thus far are that cigarette warning labels, no matter how graphic, actually stimulate the part of the brain responsible for addictive behavior; that appeals which engage our emotions trump "rational," cognitive appeals in the brain's responses; and that product placement in movies and TV shows probably do not motivate buying behavior in this day and age!  The book also contains additional interesting marketing facts, such as that new product launches in Japan fail 9.7 out of 10 times, and that by age 66 we will have viewed nearly two million commercials on TV!

I will share more as I read through the book.  It seems that audience research using neurological diagnostic tools provides a way to literally "get inside someone's head" and understand what motivates behavior. These methods also open up ethical questions, which Lindstom does address. Regardless of whether reading about this makes you shake with anxiety or excitement--or some of both--it is indeed fascinating.  I think the results have implications for how both commercial marketers social marketers and  go about supporting behaviors.

(Newsweek magazine had a review of the book in its October 27, 2008 edition.)

(Photo credit:  alles-schlumpf)

Comments

[Phil]

The assertions about cognitive/affective (and indeed conative) decision making are not surprising.
It is however widespread amongst marketers (shall we say 'non-critical' marketers?) to assume that marketing communications are uni-directional; that is, they convey intended meaning from the sender to the reciever.
Psychology, semiotics and sociology all assert that the reciever is as involved in the making of meaning.
Hence the addicted cigarette smoker is reminded of his reasons for coninuing to smoke by the health warning (think of Festinger's cognitive dissonance, or of Social Judgement Theory).
Likewise consumers frequently report that they are 'not influenced' by communications (including product placement) but brand owners continue to use it within an integrated campaign. And actually that is the point - on its own it may not 'work' (ie a direct causal link with sales cannot be proven) but as a way of cementing a brand as a cultural artefact, it's pretty good. Brands that get talked about are less of a percieved risk for consumers and intermediaries.
Clearly I must read the book too, but I predict that Lindstrom will not be able to make much use of MRI and similar technology to illuminate the 'why' questions, for reasons I'd be glad to expand upon, but I'd be interested to see.
As an aside, I assume you're quoting when you say "9.7 out of 10". Call me a pedant but how can .7 of a new product launch fail? Why not simply say 97%? :-)

Phil Holden
www.pleasewalkonthegrass.com
www.pleasewalkonthegrass.blogspot.com

[April]

I'm interested in learning more about this book. I still pay attention to marketing placement in movies and ads, but I've never made a purchasing decision based upon it. Since I can't do any non-masters paper reading these days, I will look forward to more on your blog. Thanks for sharing Mike!