For companies starting to look seriously into Consumer Neuroscience, it is tempting to begin with a pilot study that includes as many neuroscience and bio-physiological measures as possible. While the “more is merrier” approach might seem like the best option for investigating and assessing the relative strengths and applications of each method and measure, it should be avoided since doing so is not only unnecessary but misleading.
Instead, we recommend a more deliberative approach in order to avoid the pitfalls and reap the benefits of neuromarketing research.
Third-Party Comparative Studies are Widely Available Online
A large body of research now exists to help companies understand the value of the individual neuro-biometric measures and their ability to address marketing objectives (a good primer to types of research that has been done is here, for example.) Additionally, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has sponsored three studies to specifically investigate the value of various neuro measures for understanding advertising performance. Here are introductions to their second and third studies.
No Two Systems are the Same
It is also hard to generalize results from an individual study. Substantial variation exists across practitioners in equipment and how a particular method is executed. Additionally, the math behind neuro systems is more complex than in survey research and otherwise similar methods can be interpreted to yield different meanings. In discussing electroencephalography (EEG), for example, Vaughn Bell recently wrote, “[EEG] is usually so poorly applied that it is either largely for show or is clearly not sufficiently understood by the people who are selling it.”
Neuromarketing Measures Are Not Interchangeable
Most importantly, not all neuromarketing measures the same emotional phenomena. They tap into different psychological constructs making some more important than others depending on the marketing issue at hand. In our area of specialization, for example, advertising, we have found facial electromyography (fEMG), with its focus on emotional valence, to be a substantially more telling measure than others, such as skin conductance and EEG, their focus on arousal.
To get the most out of your investigation, start with establishing clear research objectives. Next, identify which measures can provide insight into those areas. Then, partner with an expert in those measures who has both the technical acumen to apply the science and the business experience to activate the results in the context of your marketing issues.
Three Easy Steps to Get You Started
Consumer Neuroscience is a new and promising field, and the diversity of measures offers an excellent opportunity for brands to develop deeper insights programs. Resist the temptation to test drive every method out there and, instead, follow these three easy steps:
- Establish clear research objectives
- Identify which measures can provide insight into those areas
- Partner with an expert in those measures who has both the technical acumen to apply the science and the business experience to activate the results in the context of your marketing issues
By focusing on the selected measures most appropriate for you needs, you will be more likely to find valuable information that best improves decision-making and performance than if you look at the basket of measures at once.
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