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Scanning brains to learn why we really buy what we buy
By Wu Jiayin |
July 25, 2009, Saturday
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BEFORE launching new products, companies routinely do market research to find out potential customers' preferences.
However, most research doesn't capture the real reasons people buy one thing and not another, as buying decisions are driven by a complex array of subconscious thoughts and feelings unknown even to people themselves, observes Martin Lindstrom in his book "Buyology."
He suggests an alternative to better analyze purchasing behavior -- one that might sound scary -- "neuromarketing."
By using brain scans, neuromarketing gives more precise information about what's really happening inside people's heads and why they take certain actions, Lindstrom says.
After reading the book one questions the general applicability and morality of such brain analysis.
Lindstrom himself observes "neuromarketing isn't the answer to everything."
The book is fascinating, however, in offering possible subconscious explanations of our decision-making.
The theory of "mirror neurons" is one aspect. Science has learned that people's brains echo one another's actions, even if they see these actions on TV or just read about them.
In Lindstrom's words, "Everything we observe (or read about) someone else doing, we do as well -- in our minds."
So people are more likely to buy a product if it engages consumers emotionally or build links to people's subconscious drives and cravings.
Lindstrom cites Coke and Ford that both advertised on "American Idol." Tests after the show indicated that viewers remembered Coke's ad quite well, but Ford's not at all.
The reason for Ford's failure is that the ad did not distinguish itself from any of the other automobile commercials. By contrast, Coke's ad integrated its image, product and even color into the show, appearing everywhere viewers looked. So viewers were more likely to get emotionally attached to the ad.
Sight is by no means the only or the most powerful sense, however, and sound and smell also play important roles in marketing.
For instance, a supermarket that played French and German background music alternately for two weeks found that on French days, it sold more French wine while on German days, it sold more German wine.
Hence Lindstrom's observation: "Sounds trigger strong associations and emotions, and can exert a powerful influence on our behavior."
Given that each sense has its special power, Lindstrom suggests that using a wise combination of sensory stimuli can be the most powerful way to engage customers.
This reminds me of Starbucks' practices.
In "Tribal Knowledge" about Starbucks' special marketing strategies, John Moore points out that the biggest draw is creating a nice and clean environment in each outlet.
People who pass the stores, whether they know Starbucks or not, are often impressed by the sign, the layout and interior and feel an impulse to try the coffee.
One controversial subliminal advertising strategy that Lindstrom advocates is associating products with rituals or superstition.
"If people are willing to pay sums large and small for things -- like dirt and water -- that they believe have religious or spiritual significance, then clearly spirituality and branding are inextricably linked."
He argues that even some imaginary secret ingredients can help engage customers.
For instance, Unilever claimed its shampoos contained the "X9 Factor," a nonexistent ingredient that no one knows anything about. Customers got angry, however, when Unilever took the nonexistent additive off its label.
Such promotion strategies should be labeled as cheating and should by no means be encouraged.
However, most research doesn't capture the real reasons people buy one thing and not another, as buying decisions are driven by a complex array of subconscious thoughts and feelings unknown even to people themselves, observes Martin Lindstrom in his book "Buyology."
He suggests an alternative to better analyze purchasing behavior -- one that might sound scary -- "neuromarketing."
By using brain scans, neuromarketing gives more precise information about what's really happening inside people's heads and why they take certain actions, Lindstrom says.
After reading the book one questions the general applicability and morality of such brain analysis.
Lindstrom himself observes "neuromarketing isn't the answer to everything."
The book is fascinating, however, in offering possible subconscious explanations of our decision-making.
The theory of "mirror neurons" is one aspect. Science has learned that people's brains echo one another's actions, even if they see these actions on TV or just read about them.
In Lindstrom's words, "Everything we observe (or read about) someone else doing, we do as well -- in our minds."
So people are more likely to buy a product if it engages consumers emotionally or build links to people's subconscious drives and cravings.
Lindstrom cites Coke and Ford that both advertised on "American Idol." Tests after the show indicated that viewers remembered Coke's ad quite well, but Ford's not at all.
The reason for Ford's failure is that the ad did not distinguish itself from any of the other automobile commercials. By contrast, Coke's ad integrated its image, product and even color into the show, appearing everywhere viewers looked. So viewers were more likely to get emotionally attached to the ad.
Sight is by no means the only or the most powerful sense, however, and sound and smell also play important roles in marketing.
For instance, a supermarket that played French and German background music alternately for two weeks found that on French days, it sold more French wine while on German days, it sold more German wine.
Hence Lindstrom's observation: "Sounds trigger strong associations and emotions, and can exert a powerful influence on our behavior."
Given that each sense has its special power, Lindstrom suggests that using a wise combination of sensory stimuli can be the most powerful way to engage customers.
This reminds me of Starbucks' practices.
In "Tribal Knowledge" about Starbucks' special marketing strategies, John Moore points out that the biggest draw is creating a nice and clean environment in each outlet.
People who pass the stores, whether they know Starbucks or not, are often impressed by the sign, the layout and interior and feel an impulse to try the coffee.
One controversial subliminal advertising strategy that Lindstrom advocates is associating products with rituals or superstition.
"If people are willing to pay sums large and small for things -- like dirt and water -- that they believe have religious or spiritual significance, then clearly spirituality and branding are inextricably linked."
He argues that even some imaginary secret ingredients can help engage customers.
For instance, Unilever claimed its shampoos contained the "X9 Factor," a nonexistent ingredient that no one knows anything about. Customers got angry, however, when Unilever took the nonexistent additive off its label.
Such promotion strategies should be labeled as cheating and should by no means be encouraged.
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