The power of the unconscious and Neuromarketing
Did you know that 95% of your daily decisions are unconscious? (*1) These unconscious acts are the pure efficiency of how your brain works, given that if you had to think through every single decision you make, you would exhaust too much brain energy. An estimated 80% of your brain activity occurs while “at rest”. (*2) And this same brain activity applies to purchasing decisions.
You could ask, how come there’s such a lack of consciousness? Here’s an answer for “computer freaks” by John Bargh, a psychologist and scientist at Yale University, who states that if our brain was a computer, the unconscious mind would process the information captured by the senses at a rate of 11 million bits per second. Meanwhile, the conscious part of the human mind processes a maximum of 50 bits per second. Therefore, if all of our decision-making was conscious, we would need up to 4 years to make a decision. According to John Bargh, one of the functions of our conscious mind is selecting which behaviors can become automated and assigned to the unconscious mind. (*3)
The interesting finding here is that the role of the unconscious in our purchasing decisions creates a need to study the brain for the purpose of marketing. With the help of Neuromarketing we can “measure” consumers’ unconscious reactions and discover how to achieve a behavior that benefits a particular brand.
So, what is Neuromarketing? It’s the union of neuroscience and marketing, or the consumer’s behavior. It’s a type of hybrid science born at the beginning of the new millennium.
Neuromarketing is used in our industry to study responses to ads, messages, and brands, among other functions, by measuring the impact on the brain and emotions of the individual, driving him to action without ever becoming aware of the dynamic. This is possible with the help of different technologies, such as the MRI and electroencephalogram (EEG). There are also other measurement tools that can register ocular attention (Eye Tracker) and the impact on our pulse or emotions, all in the moment.
A classic case study was carried out in 2003, during which this novel science was put to the test in an effort to analyze the behavior of soft drink consumers via a “blind taste” challenge, trying two competing soft drinks while being scanned by an MRI machine. The study revealed that participants preferred the taste of Pepsi during the blind tasting, according to the increased activity in the part of the brain responsible for our emotional and instinctive conduct. However, when the participants were aware of the brand they were drinking, they preferred Coca-Cola and the frontal cortex in the brain lit up, demonstrating activity in their short-term memory center. (*2) Therefore, do we drink a liquid or a brand? The answer depends on marketing, which is responsible for the creation and valuation of a brand.
A recent study conducted during this pandemic took place in Spain by Dr. Mikel Alonso*, PhD in Neuromarketing, inviting participants to watch a Frito Lay ad while tracking their ocular attention and measuring their emotions in the moment, utilizing facial coding. The study revealed which segments of the ad captured greater attention and which emotions were felt unconsciously, per second. This type of measurable insight is vital when developing content seeking to avoid the “skip” button online or “zapping” on television. What’s most surprising about this experiment is that Dr. Alonso was able to adapt the use of a computer for “Eye Tracking” and “Facial Coding” to measure the “unconscious” reactions among participants, even when conducting the study remotely. Conclusions from this type of study provide the opportunity to optimize a message so that it remains interesting throughout its duration, generates positive emotions, and is fully captured by the consumer.
Interesting, right? If you are interested in learning more about Neuromarketing, feel free to watch the webinar we hosted with Dr. Mikel Alonso. Watch Now
José Luis (partner at LIH) participating in a study for a class with Dr. Alonso at the Complutense University of Madrid.
*Dr. Mikel Alonso has a PhD in Neuroscience Applied to Marketing from the Complutense University of Madrid. Associate professor for over 25 years at the UCM, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and ESIC, he is the Director and Founder of Neuromarketing School®, has developed the BRAINTERPRETER® brain research solution, and has more than 20 years of experience helping companies to do research through the application of neuroscience techniques.
Sources:
CARMEN SÁNCHEZ-SILVA, El mensaje, directo al inconsciente. Negocios | El País. 05/16/2010.
Christophe Morin, Neuromarketing: The New Science of Consumer Behavior. Symposium: Consumer Culture in Global Perspective. Springer Link. 01/14/2011.
Jacob. 11.000.000 de Bits al segundo: La Mente Inconsciente. Inteligencia del Corazón. 08/22/2010.