Studies show that you aren’t reading this sentence because of the title or because you are interested in what I have to say, but because you like the photo.
Why? Because the photo is eliciting some kind of emotional response in you, therefore your eyes are being drawn to it, and you choose to read this story to find out what the heck it’s all about.
In a Telegraph article, Paul Bray states:
“There are…’mammalian’ elements dealing with the senses and emotions…most decisions are based on emotion and rationalized afterwards…this makes life more fun for most of us…but a nightmare for designers and advertisers.”
EMOTION IS KILLING THE FOCUS GROUP
When in a focus group, participants tend to tell you their rationalizations, not their emotions. After all, we can’t communicate raw emotion. We can show it in our faces, but then it’s up to others to rationalize it for us. And when someone asks us how we feel about something, we have to find ways to “put it into words.” But words just won’t do.
That’s why neuromarketing is on its way to replacing focus groups. We can now study the brain’s reaction without human rationalization. No more failed product launches because I can show you images and see your raw emotional responses. Packaging can be designed to ensure your hand grabs my company’s box of crackers off the shelf.
Even now, cars are being designed with neuromarketing technology to ensure you react to the grille and headlights (does it look like a face to you? You don’t know it makes you more likely to buy).
I’M NOT GOING TO GET INTO ETHICS
Sure it’s mind reading, but I’d be a much happier person if I liked everything I saw. I would be broke and wanting, but what an aesthetic world I would live in.
Tomorrow: Did President Obama neuromarket his way into the White House?
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