Jane Tackles Neurons

Neuro-marketing: what is it? How does it work? Does it hurt?

Jane is not qualified to state one way or the other, but neuro-marketing makes us cringe. We first read about this new form of sneaking a look-see inside the brains of shoppers in a Business 2.0 article, "This Is Your Brain on Advertising."

What we learned from Business 2.0 is the science of brain waves, electrodes that track alpha and beta brain waves while subjects listen to commercials, or -- even go shopping. Fascinating.

At Frontline, we discovered a better explanation..., "neuromarketing, the study of the brain's responses to ads, brands, and the rest of the messages littering the cultural landscape." Web associate producer Mary Carmichael wrote that phrase, backing it up with, "Neuromarketing, in one form or another, is now one of the hottest new tools of its trade. At the most basic levels, companies are starting to sift through the piles of psychological literature that have been steadily growing since the 1990s' boom in brain-imaging technology."

Jane is not fond of all the hype and big words, so let's cut to the chase. Companies are finally getting it: buying is an emotional reaction, not a logical one. We don't need neuro marketing studies, electrodes, or brain studies to tell us that. And since online ad spending is expected to more than double by 2010, this bears watching, don'tcha think?

Here's the scoop: We buy what we like. We like what we buy. Which is not the same thing as you are what you eat. Neuro marketing may have something going for it, or not. We can't say. It does seem to be sparking some debate...as it does here and gaining some recognition, as it is here in a so-called "blog" that Jane doesn't recognize as bloglike at all. But, in the end,it's just more marketingspeak, as far as we're concerned.

Fast forward...to your website...and what do you use to tempt us? Have you hit us where it counts, right in the intuition, or the feet, or the fingers? Will we buy from you? Maybe, if you offer us chocolate (mmmm...everyone knows women love chocolate.). Maybe, if you tempt us with prizes (the eyes sparkle, the brain tingles -- everyone knows we love prizes.). Maybe if you lure us in with pink, or fucia, or some other pretty color or lacey image (pink works every time -- honest, it does.).

Maybe we'll buy from you if you taken time to engage us in the sale. Emotionally speaking, we want respect and honesty. If we stop over at your website -- if you've done your SEO correctly (Jane is not going to explain what that is, you should know), we're there because we WANT TO BE THERE -- so, we're already primed to buy. Make us happy.

There. It's as simple as that.

Make us happy...put us in the mood, and we'll buy.

What's not to like about that?

(here's a good way to engage us: help us help others -- Paul Chaney style.)

Comments

[Marti]

I've seen a bit about neuro-marketing, not enough to make a judgment yet. It IS interesting!

Thanks for giving me more information.