Ever wondered what emotions look like? Scientists believe they do, and they're using it to see why people like Pepsi. Neuromarketing, described as a "quantitative way to test the subconscious effectiveness" of advertisements, is a scary idea that marketing professionals hope will trick your mind into wanting things.

Neuromarketing uses state-of-the-art technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magneto-encephalography, and more conventional electroencephalograms (EEGs) to observe which areas of the brain "light up" when test subjects view, hear, or even smell products or promos.

The technique has been around for a couple of years; most of the brain imaging technology was invented in the '90s. But it looks like researchers have either perfected the technology or at least their pitch for it; they're grooming it as a replacement for focus group studies.

"Emotions cannot necessarily be accurately described," says Gemma Calvert, head of the Multisensory Research Group at Britain's University of Bath and director of neuromarketing consultancy Neurosense in Oxford, England. Using brain scans, she says, "We can see the discrepancy between what you say and what your brain says, and reduce the margin of error."

According to an article in Business Week , several corporations have been impressed with the University of Bath study's findings. Nike, Wrigley, and Colgate-Palmolive are going to start using the research, even though it seems like the studies have thus far only been used to make obvious conclusions.

Advertisements for popular "alcopop" vodka beverage WKD from Torquay, England-based Beverage Brands elicited vigorous brain responses, while ads for the Red Cross and reliable old Tetley tea produced much less reaction.

I wish I knew how much they spent to come to that conclusion - the article only says it costs under $200,000. I could have told them that people are more interested in alcoholic beverages that taste like candy than tea or an ancient charitable organization for way less.

Accusations that neuromarketing is a pipe dream and junk science abound. But beyond the question of whether or not it actually works, some wonder if it's potentially harmful. Gary Ruskin of the watch dog group Commercial Art unsuccessfully lobbied members of Congress about the alleged risks of neuromarketing in 2004. He worried how neuromarketing could affect political campaigns. At the time, nobody cared. Now, neurology experts sound alarmed. In the Sept, 2007 issue of the medical journal Diagnostic Imaging, one expert warned that searches for the brain's "buy button" could yield troubling results.

"With new imaging technologies, researchers are able to conduct experiments that have the potential to predict behavior, consciousness, and pathology," said Judy Illes, Ph.D., director of the neuroethics program at the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics. "These types of experiments raise ethical concerns about how to handle the sensitive data and how much individuals want to know-or want other people to know-about their mental state."

Earlier this year, a Stanford University mapped the brain activity occurring in the run-up to making a decision to buy or not buy something. The study weighed the pleasure that buying something new caused against the pain of having to pay for it. The study, which no doubt had marketers salivating, concluded that finding the buy button is a ways off.

Formus

Milwaukee, WI

May 2007

OCT 15, 2007 08:08 PM

This is a surprise to absolutely nobody who believes at least one conspiracy theory.

Good Philip K Dick reference.

StarBelliedBoy

Philadelphia, PA

December 2003

OCT 15, 2007 08:18 PM

Little pisses me off more than people trying to tell me what I want.

freshprncebelair

Ellicott City, MD

June 2004

OCT 15, 2007 08:20 PM

He worried how neuromarketing could affect political campaigns.

Bah. Congress shouldn't regulate marketing, even if it gets so good you can't resist buying the product. Regulating people who are good at their jobs never works. Especially in this case.

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

OCT 15, 2007 08:35 PM

Formus said:

Good Philip K Dick reference.

dorklord

Los Angeles, CA

May 2006

OCT 15, 2007 08:39 PM

great now they are really trying to make us consumer zombies.

Formus

Milwaukee, WI

May 2007

OCT 15, 2007 08:41 PM

dorklord said:
great now they are really trying to make us consumer zombies.

Not zombies, just brainless obedient peons. There's a difference.

CitizenD

Australia

April 2006

OCT 15, 2007 09:31 PM

Formus said:

dorklord said:
great now they are really trying to make us consumer zombies.

Not zombies, just brainless obedient peons. There's a difference.

Indeed, zombies rarely qualify for an Amex or VISA.

xazapdmytinu

Fort Collins, CO

July 2007

OCT 15, 2007 09:34 PM

other studies done involving neuroscience: "Coolness", Orgasms, Prayer, Olympic athletes, happiness and porn. Also remember that subliminal advertising was pretty much disproven back when homosexuality was still in the DSM. It's also great political timing timing with Christmas coming up to start making people paranoid about what they buy.

SmellsLikeSciFi

Houston, TX

April 2004

OCT 15, 2007 09:35 PM

freshprncebelair said:

He worried how neuromarketing could affect political campaigns.

Bah. Congress shouldn't regulate marketing, even if it gets so good you can't resist buying the product. Regulating people who are good at their jobs never works. Especially in this case.

I think in this case it may be a little different than just "marketing". You can change the channel on your tv or radio.

I mean, jesus, I boycott coke and pepsi for their ways of acquiring gum arabic. Namely they arm warring tribes in africa who rape, pillage and kill so they can get their product in the hands of multi-nationals like Coke and Pepsi.

If this shit gets in your head like they say it can, where's the freedom to NOT buy?

Would you want them to just cut out the middleman and debit your bank account once or twice a week?

legionnaire

United Kingdom

November 2003

OCT 15, 2007 10:08 PM

xazapdmytinu said:
other studies done involving neuroscience: "Coolness", Orgasms, Prayer, Olympic athletes, happiness and porn.

Other research involving neuroscience covers:

Alzheimer's Disease, Schizophrenia, Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, spinal cord regeneration, Myasthenia Gravis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, neuroblastoma, Multiple Sclerosis, Depression, Anxiety. To name a few.

So umm... yeah. Fuck off.