Neuromarketing is no brainwaue
if you just stop and think about it
There is little evidence to suggest that measuring hrain activity in response to
advertising and shopping will better our understanding of consumer behaviour
In the relatively short
history of marketing,
each breakthrough in
understanding or shaping
consumer hehaviour
has heen heralded
by its proponents as a
paradigm-shifting panacea.
It is now the turn of the neuromarketers,
who have heen husy measuring
brain activity in response to advertisements
and the experience of shopping.
Actually, neuromarketers first appeared
ahout a decade ago, hut as the measurement
equipment they use costs ahout the
same price as a small space shuttle, they
have presumably been saving up since
then. Sn far, they have noted that different
areas of the hrain register varying levels
of activity, depending on the gender
of the individual and what they are heing
shown.
So are we witnessing the first tentative
steps of a quantum leap in the field? Not
necessarily. As any psychologist will tell
you. not only do people start behaving
Precisian MarkeCinci September S4 5004
Door-to-door marketing: Much iower cost than other media
point, and, hopefully, the
customer.
The problem is that to
achieve rut-through there
are mauy hurdles whif:h c;au
jeopardise even the most
inspiring campaign. Often
there isn't enough quality
control. The scattergun
method of distributing hundreds
of leaflets may stand
accused of liolding back the
industry as a serious brandbuilding
proposition primarily
because, while ifs a
cheaper form of advertising.
it doesn't buy credibility - a
key aspect of any brand,
D2D is still an excellunt
inetbod of getting through to
customers direct, at a much
lower cost tban other modia.
As part of an inttigratod campaign,
the benefits speak for
themselves. It will take some
time, however, before it will
ever he perceived as brandbuilding.
Lucilla Duarte
Client services director
MHM Partners
London SEl
We all affect
industry target
I would like to endorse the
vast majority of Paul Seiigman's
comments [PM September
3). He is absolutely right
that, as an industry, we must
talk vociferously about the
huge in-roads tbat we have
made to become more responsible
direct mailers. We
sbould also be working tirelessly
to restore faitb in the
mucb maligned (often with
good reason) direct marketing
'brand'. However, we also
have to be realistic and understand
tbat consumer perception
is in fact reality, and that
takes time to change.
Yet, as David Rohottom'.s
letter last week explained, be
is incorrect to assert tbat there
is a lack of attention focused
on the Defra deadline - quite
the contrary is true, Tbe primary
objective of tbe DMA
(UK) environmental working
party-made up of clients and
suppliers - is to meet the
agreed targets. This is no
moveahle deadline: this is an
obligation.
The DMA should be
applauded for having reached
this agreement with Dufra, Had
it not, it is likely that legislation
would have already been
imposed. There will be no second
chances; if we do not
reach those targets, legislation
will follow.
You do not have to be a
nuclear physicist to realise tbat
those days, a socially responsible
corporation achieves far
greater cachet and consumer
affinity than those who turn
their back on ethics. Yet many
companies simply rtifuse to
accept the unequivocal bonofits
of suppression, greatly
refined targeting and environmental
responsibility. This is
often because their business
models probibit tbem from
doing so.
There are many others,
however, that are starting to
realise that they have to act
now. Levels of suppression
usage appear to be up, and
recent reports of volume
downturu seem to indicate a
more precise targeting module.
But tbis initiative requires
buy-in and commitmenl from
all involved. If mailers will not
embrace change. I don't think
any of us are going to be looking
forward to Brassed Off
Britain 2.
Mark Roy
Chief executive
The REaD Group
Sevenoaks. Kent
Pioneers of communication solutions
call 0117 916 8113
differently as soon as they
know they are participating in
an experiment, hut the level of
ar(]u.sal generated purely by
being wired up to anything is
(snougli to undermine data c:ollected
in this manner.
What is more, you cannot
make any hard and fast rules
about the relationship between
brain activity and behaviour.
The only time a human being
cannot help acting on arousal
is as a toddler. I guarantee that
if you were to show me a picture
of a Ferrari my brain
would light up like the Hong Kong skylino
at night. But does it mean I am ever
likely to huy one? Not if I want a home to
go to. And, post-toddlerdom, other
iifestage variables have far more influ-
I guarantee that if
you were to show
me a picture of a
Ferrari my hrain
would light up
like the Hong
Kong skyline at
night. But does it
mean I am ever
likely to buy one?
ence on behaviour than a few
neural synapses firing up.
Finally, the only thing currently
available that is known
to suppress the part of the
brain inhibiting impulsive
behaviour is alcohol. Yes, we
could encourage consumers to
get drunk and sign up for anything,
but it's hardly ethical.
The idea that one approach
could solve all of our
problems is seductive, but
unlikely. Neuromarketing
may provide planners with
another useful source of information,
but there is nothing to suggest it
will render other types of data redundant.
Simon James is head of analytics at
Zalpha
Precision Market:ing SapCember 54 5004
leader
Is IPA offering a
suicide charter?
There are few people in this
industry who would argue
against tbe need to improve
direct marketing's public image.
Equally, there are few - at least
in public, it seems - who would
argue against tbe Institute of
Practitioners in Advertising's Direct Marketing
Charter being a step in the right direction. Whether
agencies and clients will adhere to it, of course, is
another matter.
Take, as an example, this commitment: "The
IPA believes that targeting is the essence of good
direct marketing and therefore does not support
the use of hlanket 'cold mailing'. Its members will
always work with their clients to find more accurately,
less wasteful and more rewarding means of
one-to-one communication."
Bringing that to its natural conclusion, when a
client goes to an IPA member agency and says:
'Here's a few million quid, I want to mail the
whole of the UK until the budget runs dry,' the
agency should try to persuade it to change its
mind. If it can't, it should turn down the job. A
laudable aim, but isn't it commercial suicide?
Matt Atkinson, chairman of the IPA's DM
Group, readily admits that his agency, EHS Brann,
does a lot of cold mailings, adding that "high-frequency,
high-volume" mail campaigns are the
enemy. But could EHS Brann afford to turn away
a few million quid if the likes of MBNA or Capital
One came knocking on its door? If so, the
bosses at parent company Havas might want to
know why.
There's also the deregulation of postal services
to consider. With the likes of Deutsche Post and
TNT Mail looking to lure big mailers, it might
prove even more irresistible to mail the country to
death.
Take another commitment: "IPA direct marketing
agencies are committed to the principle of permission
and consent in the use of personal data,
and prefer not to use negative option boxes for the
consumer to 'opt out', but rather encourage the
consumer... to positively 'opt in' to further communications."
Again, this is a laudable aim, but DMA Data
Council chairman Tony Lamb predicts it would be
a 'short-term disaster'.
Ultimately, tbe IPA should be applauded for
bringing tbese issues to the fore. Of course, it has
admitted the charter's a 'living document', which
should stoke up tbe debate on bow to tackle negative
industry perceptions. The body has jumped
the first fence by getting its agency members to
sign up for the charter... Beacher's Brook awaits.
Charlie McKelvey, editor
13
if you just stop and think about it
There is little evidence to suggest that measuring hrain activity in response to
advertising and shopping will better our understanding of consumer behaviour
In the relatively short
history of marketing,
each breakthrough in
understanding or shaping
consumer hehaviour
has heen heralded
by its proponents as a
paradigm-shifting panacea.
It is now the turn of the neuromarketers,
who have heen husy measuring
brain activity in response to advertisements
and the experience of shopping.
Actually, neuromarketers first appeared
ahout a decade ago, hut as the measurement
equipment they use costs ahout the
same price as a small space shuttle, they
have presumably been saving up since
then. Sn far, they have noted that different
areas of the hrain register varying levels
of activity, depending on the gender
of the individual and what they are heing
shown.
So are we witnessing the first tentative
steps of a quantum leap in the field? Not
necessarily. As any psychologist will tell
you. not only do people start behaving
Precisian MarkeCinci September S4 5004
Door-to-door marketing: Much iower cost than other media
point, and, hopefully, the
customer.
The problem is that to
achieve rut-through there
are mauy hurdles whif:h c;au
jeopardise even the most
inspiring campaign. Often
there isn't enough quality
control. The scattergun
method of distributing hundreds
of leaflets may stand
accused of liolding back the
industry as a serious brandbuilding
proposition primarily
because, while ifs a
cheaper form of advertising.
it doesn't buy credibility - a
key aspect of any brand,
D2D is still an excellunt
inetbod of getting through to
customers direct, at a much
lower cost tban other modia.
As part of an inttigratod campaign,
the benefits speak for
themselves. It will take some
time, however, before it will
ever he perceived as brandbuilding.
Lucilla Duarte
Client services director
MHM Partners
London SEl
We all affect
industry target
I would like to endorse the
vast majority of Paul Seiigman's
comments [PM September
3). He is absolutely right
that, as an industry, we must
talk vociferously about the
huge in-roads tbat we have
made to become more responsible
direct mailers. We
sbould also be working tirelessly
to restore faitb in the
mucb maligned (often with
good reason) direct marketing
'brand'. However, we also
have to be realistic and understand
tbat consumer perception
is in fact reality, and that
takes time to change.
Yet, as David Rohottom'.s
letter last week explained, be
is incorrect to assert tbat there
is a lack of attention focused
on the Defra deadline - quite
the contrary is true, Tbe primary
objective of tbe DMA
(UK) environmental working
party-made up of clients and
suppliers - is to meet the
agreed targets. This is no
moveahle deadline: this is an
obligation.
The DMA should be
applauded for having reached
this agreement with Dufra, Had
it not, it is likely that legislation
would have already been
imposed. There will be no second
chances; if we do not
reach those targets, legislation
will follow.
You do not have to be a
nuclear physicist to realise tbat
those days, a socially responsible
corporation achieves far
greater cachet and consumer
affinity than those who turn
their back on ethics. Yet many
companies simply rtifuse to
accept the unequivocal bonofits
of suppression, greatly
refined targeting and environmental
responsibility. This is
often because their business
models probibit tbem from
doing so.
There are many others,
however, that are starting to
realise that they have to act
now. Levels of suppression
usage appear to be up, and
recent reports of volume
downturu seem to indicate a
more precise targeting module.
But tbis initiative requires
buy-in and commitmenl from
all involved. If mailers will not
embrace change. I don't think
any of us are going to be looking
forward to Brassed Off
Britain 2.
Mark Roy
Chief executive
The REaD Group
Sevenoaks. Kent
Pioneers of communication solutions
call 0117 916 8113
differently as soon as they
know they are participating in
an experiment, hut the level of
ar(]u.sal generated purely by
being wired up to anything is
(snougli to undermine data c:ollected
in this manner.
What is more, you cannot
make any hard and fast rules
about the relationship between
brain activity and behaviour.
The only time a human being
cannot help acting on arousal
is as a toddler. I guarantee that
if you were to show me a picture
of a Ferrari my brain
would light up like the Hong Kong skylino
at night. But does it mean I am ever
likely to huy one? Not if I want a home to
go to. And, post-toddlerdom, other
iifestage variables have far more influ-
I guarantee that if
you were to show
me a picture of a
Ferrari my hrain
would light up
like the Hong
Kong skyline at
night. But does it
mean I am ever
likely to buy one?
ence on behaviour than a few
neural synapses firing up.
Finally, the only thing currently
available that is known
to suppress the part of the
brain inhibiting impulsive
behaviour is alcohol. Yes, we
could encourage consumers to
get drunk and sign up for anything,
but it's hardly ethical.
The idea that one approach
could solve all of our
problems is seductive, but
unlikely. Neuromarketing
may provide planners with
another useful source of information,
but there is nothing to suggest it
will render other types of data redundant.
Simon James is head of analytics at
Zalpha
Precision Market:ing SapCember 54 5004
leader
Is IPA offering a
suicide charter?
There are few people in this
industry who would argue
against tbe need to improve
direct marketing's public image.
Equally, there are few - at least
in public, it seems - who would
argue against tbe Institute of
Practitioners in Advertising's Direct Marketing
Charter being a step in the right direction. Whether
agencies and clients will adhere to it, of course, is
another matter.
Take, as an example, this commitment: "The
IPA believes that targeting is the essence of good
direct marketing and therefore does not support
the use of hlanket 'cold mailing'. Its members will
always work with their clients to find more accurately,
less wasteful and more rewarding means of
one-to-one communication."
Bringing that to its natural conclusion, when a
client goes to an IPA member agency and says:
'Here's a few million quid, I want to mail the
whole of the UK until the budget runs dry,' the
agency should try to persuade it to change its
mind. If it can't, it should turn down the job. A
laudable aim, but isn't it commercial suicide?
Matt Atkinson, chairman of the IPA's DM
Group, readily admits that his agency, EHS Brann,
does a lot of cold mailings, adding that "high-frequency,
high-volume" mail campaigns are the
enemy. But could EHS Brann afford to turn away
a few million quid if the likes of MBNA or Capital
One came knocking on its door? If so, the
bosses at parent company Havas might want to
know why.
There's also the deregulation of postal services
to consider. With the likes of Deutsche Post and
TNT Mail looking to lure big mailers, it might
prove even more irresistible to mail the country to
death.
Take another commitment: "IPA direct marketing
agencies are committed to the principle of permission
and consent in the use of personal data,
and prefer not to use negative option boxes for the
consumer to 'opt out', but rather encourage the
consumer... to positively 'opt in' to further communications."
Again, this is a laudable aim, but DMA Data
Council chairman Tony Lamb predicts it would be
a 'short-term disaster'.
Ultimately, tbe IPA should be applauded for
bringing tbese issues to the fore. Of course, it has
admitted the charter's a 'living document', which
should stoke up tbe debate on bow to tackle negative
industry perceptions. The body has jumped
the first fence by getting its agency members to
sign up for the charter... Beacher's Brook awaits.
Charlie McKelvey, editor
13
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