64 Chemical Reaction GCI May 2005
CHEMICAL REACTION by steve herman
process with a specifi c resonance called
the Larmour frequency. At the same time,
three small gradient magnets alter the main
magnetic fi eld at a local level, isolating a
“slice” of the area to be studied. When the
pulse is turned off, the protons release their
stored energy, generating data that can be put
on fi lm—the “image” of MRI.
Neuromarketing Put to the Test
Read Montague, a professor at Baylor College
of Medicine, was interested in a series of
TV commercials in the 1970s and 80s where
individuals took the “Pepsi challenge,” a blind
taste test of Pepsi versus Coca-Cola. Although
the majority preferred the taste of Pepsi,
while shopping, most bought Coke. Professor
Montague wanted to know the root of this
paradoxical behavior.
The Pepsi challenge was recreated with
the test subjects having their brain activity
scanned by an MRI machine. Pepsi produced
a stronger response in the ventral putamen,
an area believed to process reward. In people
Most products in the marketplace
fulfi ll their intended functions.
Long term success is in large part
driven by image, and image is created by
marketing. Marketing is partly driven by the
inherent instinct and creativity of marketing
professionals, but crucial insight comes
from the analysis of the target consumer. In
simpler days, demographics provided the
essential information. Typical demographic
input included age, sex, income, education
and lifestyle. Then psychographics came
along to supplement conventional marketing
data with informed assumptions about
personality traits and human behavior
gleaned from other disciplines: psychology,
sociology and probability theory. A
dramatically new approach has sprung
up from an unexpected locale: the MRI
lab. Neuromarketing has transported our
understanding of consumer behavior to the
inside of the living, thinking brain.
The part of the individual that controls
product selection and purchasing is clearly
the brain. Until recently it was necessary
to cut into the brain to examine it, which
understandably discouraged extensive
panel testing. The past decades have seen
the development and commercialization
of a variety of non-invasive tools to
study the brain at work. The utilization
Selling to the Brain
Modern technology takes neural studies to a new level, leading to
better knowledge of how we think and why we buy.
of these machines has moved beyond
simple medical diagnosis and into the
study of mental activity under routine
conditions. The initial studies have shown
remarkable possibilities for revolutionizing
our understanding of the importance of
brand image in influencing our sensory
preferences.
Modern, Magnetic Method
The insight of a modern functional Magnetic
Resonance Image (fMRI) takes neural studies
to a new level. Using a large magnet to induce
radio signals from chemicals in the brain,
it differs from a traditional MRI because
it captures moving images rather than still
ones. “Thinking” shows up in colorful, crosssectional
images, recorded as the subject lies
with his head inside the scanner.
Since water constitutes about two thirds
of the human body weight, this high water
content is key to its magnetic response.
When the body is exposed to a strong
magnetic fi eld, the nuclei of the hydrogen
atoms in water align with the
magnetic fi eld.
Figure 1A shows a hydrogen
atom. The proton spin is aligned
with a magnetic fi eld; it can
point in either direction. Figure
1B shows a group of hydrogen
atoms. Their arrangement is
random, and the vast majority
of protons will cancel each other
out. A few protons per million do
not cancel, however, and they are
enough to create the MRI image.
The “resonance” comes from
a radio frequency pulse specifi c
to hydrogen. The pulse causes
a proton to absorb energy and
Neuromarketing
has transported our
understanding of
consumer behavior to
the inside of the living,
thinking brain.
Figure 1. Hydrogen aligns with the magnetic fi eld to
create MRI image.
neuromarketing
(noo.roh.MAR.kuh.ting) n.
The neurological study of a person’s
mental state and reactions while
being exposed to marketing messages.
Also: neuro-marketing.
—neuromarketer n.
66 Chemical Reaction GCI May 2005
CHEMICAL REACTION by steve herman
STEVE HERMAN is vice
president, new technology development,
at AFF International. He has more
than 30 years of experience in the
industry, primarily in fragrance application.
He serves as adjunct professor
in the FDU Masters in Cosmetic Science program and
has been active in numerous capacities with the SCC.
chemreaction@allured.com
were drinking. The majority now preferred
Coke. Interestingly, their brain activity also
changed and showed activity in the medial
prefrontal cortex, a region involved with
high-level cognitive powers. The subject’s
brand image of Coke was thus shown to
translate into an operative preference in the
brain! This result takes marketing into a
depth never before dreamed of, even by the
most diehard Madison Avenue ad agency.
There are already vocal critics of
neuromarketing, fearful that its power
applied to harmful products and habits
will have serious consequences. The use of
neuromarketing by companies that produce
tobacco, alcohol, junk food or fast food
could be damaging to public health. There
is also the possibility of using it for political
propaganda. Another concern is that it can
be used to promote degraded values, such as
materialism or gambling, although exactly
what constitutes a degraded value is a matter
of individual judgment.
Figure 2. The brain lights up in response
to drinking Coke or Pepsi.
It is far too early to gauge the impact
neuromarketing will have in personal
care, but it certainly gives a boost to the
importance of a strong, well-promoted
brand identity for products. We can now
see how products support self-esteem at the
deepest level of mental activity, which may
lead to revolutionary ways to satisfy our
consumers’ desire to look and feel better
about themselves. ■ GCI
Reference
Montague, P. Read et al., Neural Correlates of Behavioral
Preference for Culturally Familiar Drinks, Neuron, Vol.
44, 379-387, October 14, 2004.
who preferred Pepsi, the putamen was fi ve
times as active when they drank Pepsi than
it was in Coke-preferring subjects drinking
Coke. Figure 2 shows the brain lighting up
during one of these tests.
Montague repeated the experiments,
but this time told the subjects what they
CHEMICAL REACTION by steve herman
process with a specifi c resonance called
the Larmour frequency. At the same time,
three small gradient magnets alter the main
magnetic fi eld at a local level, isolating a
“slice” of the area to be studied. When the
pulse is turned off, the protons release their
stored energy, generating data that can be put
on fi lm—the “image” of MRI.
Neuromarketing Put to the Test
Read Montague, a professor at Baylor College
of Medicine, was interested in a series of
TV commercials in the 1970s and 80s where
individuals took the “Pepsi challenge,” a blind
taste test of Pepsi versus Coca-Cola. Although
the majority preferred the taste of Pepsi,
while shopping, most bought Coke. Professor
Montague wanted to know the root of this
paradoxical behavior.
The Pepsi challenge was recreated with
the test subjects having their brain activity
scanned by an MRI machine. Pepsi produced
a stronger response in the ventral putamen,
an area believed to process reward. In people
Most products in the marketplace
fulfi ll their intended functions.
Long term success is in large part
driven by image, and image is created by
marketing. Marketing is partly driven by the
inherent instinct and creativity of marketing
professionals, but crucial insight comes
from the analysis of the target consumer. In
simpler days, demographics provided the
essential information. Typical demographic
input included age, sex, income, education
and lifestyle. Then psychographics came
along to supplement conventional marketing
data with informed assumptions about
personality traits and human behavior
gleaned from other disciplines: psychology,
sociology and probability theory. A
dramatically new approach has sprung
up from an unexpected locale: the MRI
lab. Neuromarketing has transported our
understanding of consumer behavior to the
inside of the living, thinking brain.
The part of the individual that controls
product selection and purchasing is clearly
the brain. Until recently it was necessary
to cut into the brain to examine it, which
understandably discouraged extensive
panel testing. The past decades have seen
the development and commercialization
of a variety of non-invasive tools to
study the brain at work. The utilization
Selling to the Brain
Modern technology takes neural studies to a new level, leading to
better knowledge of how we think and why we buy.
of these machines has moved beyond
simple medical diagnosis and into the
study of mental activity under routine
conditions. The initial studies have shown
remarkable possibilities for revolutionizing
our understanding of the importance of
brand image in influencing our sensory
preferences.
Modern, Magnetic Method
The insight of a modern functional Magnetic
Resonance Image (fMRI) takes neural studies
to a new level. Using a large magnet to induce
radio signals from chemicals in the brain,
it differs from a traditional MRI because
it captures moving images rather than still
ones. “Thinking” shows up in colorful, crosssectional
images, recorded as the subject lies
with his head inside the scanner.
Since water constitutes about two thirds
of the human body weight, this high water
content is key to its magnetic response.
When the body is exposed to a strong
magnetic fi eld, the nuclei of the hydrogen
atoms in water align with the
magnetic fi eld.
Figure 1A shows a hydrogen
atom. The proton spin is aligned
with a magnetic fi eld; it can
point in either direction. Figure
1B shows a group of hydrogen
atoms. Their arrangement is
random, and the vast majority
of protons will cancel each other
out. A few protons per million do
not cancel, however, and they are
enough to create the MRI image.
The “resonance” comes from
a radio frequency pulse specifi c
to hydrogen. The pulse causes
a proton to absorb energy and
Neuromarketing
has transported our
understanding of
consumer behavior to
the inside of the living,
thinking brain.
Figure 1. Hydrogen aligns with the magnetic fi eld to
create MRI image.
neuromarketing
(noo.roh.MAR.kuh.ting) n.
The neurological study of a person’s
mental state and reactions while
being exposed to marketing messages.
Also: neuro-marketing.
—neuromarketer n.
66 Chemical Reaction GCI May 2005
CHEMICAL REACTION by steve herman
STEVE HERMAN is vice
president, new technology development,
at AFF International. He has more
than 30 years of experience in the
industry, primarily in fragrance application.
He serves as adjunct professor
in the FDU Masters in Cosmetic Science program and
has been active in numerous capacities with the SCC.
chemreaction@allured.com
were drinking. The majority now preferred
Coke. Interestingly, their brain activity also
changed and showed activity in the medial
prefrontal cortex, a region involved with
high-level cognitive powers. The subject’s
brand image of Coke was thus shown to
translate into an operative preference in the
brain! This result takes marketing into a
depth never before dreamed of, even by the
most diehard Madison Avenue ad agency.
There are already vocal critics of
neuromarketing, fearful that its power
applied to harmful products and habits
will have serious consequences. The use of
neuromarketing by companies that produce
tobacco, alcohol, junk food or fast food
could be damaging to public health. There
is also the possibility of using it for political
propaganda. Another concern is that it can
be used to promote degraded values, such as
materialism or gambling, although exactly
what constitutes a degraded value is a matter
of individual judgment.
Figure 2. The brain lights up in response
to drinking Coke or Pepsi.
It is far too early to gauge the impact
neuromarketing will have in personal
care, but it certainly gives a boost to the
importance of a strong, well-promoted
brand identity for products. We can now
see how products support self-esteem at the
deepest level of mental activity, which may
lead to revolutionary ways to satisfy our
consumers’ desire to look and feel better
about themselves. ■ GCI
Reference
Montague, P. Read et al., Neural Correlates of Behavioral
Preference for Culturally Familiar Drinks, Neuron, Vol.
44, 379-387, October 14, 2004.
who preferred Pepsi, the putamen was fi ve
times as active when they drank Pepsi than
it was in Coke-preferring subjects drinking
Coke. Figure 2 shows the brain lighting up
during one of these tests.
Montague repeated the experiments,
but this time told the subjects what they
No comments:
Post a Comment