Neuroscience Using EEG
The purpose of the research was to understand how neuroscientific measurements could further enhance advertising testing by observing how consumers respond to television public service announcements on a unconscious level. The end goal was to understand how this new form of research could help the client develop more effective television advertisements in the future.
Further, for Insightrix, the project was undertaken as a means by which to understand the viability of using neuroscience methodologies and techniques in further studies.
To meet the client’s objectives:
Insightrix conducted 20 interviews in Saskatoon – 10 exclusively with men aged 20 to 44 years, and 10 with teens aged 16 to 19. Interviews took place between April 18 and 21.
Each interview lasted approximately 45 minutes, and each participant received an honorarium of $75 for their time.
Three pieces of neuroscience equipment (EEG, eye tracker and facial coding equipment and software) were employed to attempt to capture and record participants’ unrationalized emotions and nonverbalized data.
Each interview consisted of:
It was the goal of this process to determine what parts of the advertisement were being viewed, what levels of attention the ads received and what emotions were expressed during viewing as a means of determining the success of the advertisement.
Insightrix discovered several takeaways from this project that speak to the capability and viability of using neuroscience techniques and methodologies in future projects:
Potential testing applications for this technology include understanding which portions of an advertisement should be edited because of low or unfavourable impact, testing different options within a particular advertisement (e.g., choice of music or visuals, message placement, voice overs, etc.) and ensuring success of online streaming advertising by verifying high attention early in the process to minimize “skip ad” behaviour.
It was also determined that neuroscience technology and methodologies similar to these would be of benefit in the testing of other media, such as print, outdoor, radio and website advertising and in benchmarking key indicators and moments in advertisements, such as before an anticipated event or message display.
Insightrix gained further insight into the process of the application of neuroscience in market research through this project, as well. Paramount of these was that the technology and neuroscience methodologies employed in this project will be an asset in further advertising development.