Neuromarketing: the profession of the future

2004/10/17 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Anatomia/Fisiologia
• Etika

MRI lets you see brain activity.

The pleasure and guilt you have felt when buying this expensive pair of shoes have their origin in the brain. And although some find it hard to believe, it is possible to see which areas of the brain are activated by feeling those emotions. It is possible to discover passions, desires or thoughts of anyone, and one way is through MRI.

The use of magnetic fields and radio waves allow obtaining precise three-dimensional images of brain structures. Functional MRI also provides valuable information about brain activity, as it allows comparing oxygenated and oxygen-free blood. As a result, in addition to seeing which areas of the brain are activated, they follow the course of blood. Somehow, you can see where thoughts arise and where they go from.

These techniques have been used so far in medicine, but a few years ago they have realized that they can also be useful in marketing. The big producers are not there to be, and they have started working without wasting time. And there are several mysteries that cannot be solved otherwise. For example, why do people buy Coca-Cola if they actually prefer the taste of Pepsi?

Coca vs. Pepsi. Winner: Coca

What has led you to buy that?

The experts were surprised by this trend of people, because it is not very logical, but in the end last summer they got to know why people choose a drink if they like more.

At the Baylor School of Medicine (USA), researcher Read Montague revealed the hidden reasons for this behavior. In advance it must be said that in this study neither Coca-Cola nor Pepsi was subsidized. The research was totally independent. With MRI, Montague analyzed the brain activity of several volunteers. Specifically, he compared what happened when he drank one soda and another. Volunteers sometimes did not know the mark they were drinking from and sometimes did.

Thus, he showed that the knowledge of the brand influenced the perception of the volunteer, that is, that the areas of taste and desire do not behave in the same way if the brand is known. It seems that brand perception surpasses taste perception.

The strength of the coca-cola image prevails over taste.

Montague reached this conclusion in view of the research results. In fact, for most volunteers it was more enjoyable than Pepsi Coca in the blind test, as the wellness area was five times more active when drinking Pepsi. However, knowing what they were drinking, the field of the cognitive processes worked was activated much more when they drank Coca. Another conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that, if you spend money, Pepsi is better to spend on improving the brand image than on improving the flavor.

At the limit of ethics

The results are so clear that stronger companies begin to take neuromarketine into account. The goal is to influence the perception of consumers to choose their products or acquire more. Knowing the influence of memory and the sensations associated with the product, many things can be done. For example, a house that makes toothpaste distributes its product in the holiday areas, this way, when returning from vacation home, it seems that there are many options to buy this toothpaste, as people remind you pleasant moments.

Without realizing it, they try to influence us.

Politicians also know that people prefer things and known people. Therefore, Mitterrand used subliminal advertising in the 1988 French presidential elections.

Although it is hard to believe, on the symbol of Antenne 2 of television appeared the face of Mitterrand half hidden. The viewer was not aware of it, but the photo was there, and in the end Mitterrand was as if it were the living room of the house. So how can you not vote? If you have been home! Instead, the other candidates are strangers, so they don't deserve the vote. That's at least what the campaign designers wanted to get is for voters to consider Miterrand as local.

With this example it is clear that with neuromarketine there is a danger to overcome the limit of ethics. Therefore, many experts have opposed this use and warned of the risks. In fact, it is not difficult to manipulate consumers, and with these techniques it is even easier to know how to influence the minds of consumers.

From now on, therefore, be clear! If not, without realizing it they will sell us pots instead of gold.

Published in 7K.