Neuromarketing - in Retreat.

From Max Sutherland’s Weblog: www.sutherlandsurvey.com

Neuromarketing - in Retreat.

By Max Sutherland

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

D r . M a x S u t h e r l a n d ’ s c o l u m n i s p u b l i s h e d m o n t h l y a n d p o s t e d o n t h e we b a t

w w w . s u t h e r l a n d s u r v e y . c o m

R e c e i v e a n a d v a n c e c o p y b y e m a i l -

f r e e s u b s c r i p t i o n

. M a x S u t h e r l a n d i s a u t h o r o f t h e b o o k

' A d v e r t i s i n g

& t h e M i n d o f t h e C o n s u m e r ’

( p u b l i s h e d i n 8 l a n g u a g e s ) a n d i s a r e g i s t e r e d p s y c h o l o g i s t . H e w o r k s a s a n

i n d e p e n d e n t m a r k e t i n g c o n s u l t a n t i n A u s t r a l i a a n d U S A a n d i s a l s o A d j u n c t P r o f e s s o r a t B o n d U n i v e r s i t y .
C o n t a c t

m s u t h e r l a n d @ a d a n d m i n d . c o m

I n

‘ B r a nds o n th e B r a i n ’

, ( Fe b . 0 3) , I s a id ne u ro m a r ke t in g w as do m i na t ed m o r e b y

s a le s  p i tch   t ha n  s cie n c e.  T h e  s m ok e  an d   mi r r o rs   m e rc han t s   we r e  o u t  t h e re  r u n n in g
w e l l  a h ead   o f  t he  pa c k.     No w ,   ei g ht e en  m o nt h s  la t e r ,  ne u ro m a r ke t in g  i s  i n   re t r e at   –
n o t   i n to   ob l iv i on   -  ju s t   i n to ’  th e   c l os e t’

T h e  s c i e nti fi c   d re a m  o f  b ei ng  a b l e  t o  p ee r  i n to  t h e  h u m an   bra i n  i s  p os s i b l e   to day  t h ro u gh
n e w   br ai n  s c a n ni ng   te c hn ol og i e s .  B ra i n   w a v e  r ec or d i n g  d e v i c es   ha v e  b e en   a v ai l a b l e  f o r
d e c a de s   bu t   n o w   t h ey  c a n  pi npo i nt   m o re   p r ec i s el y   w h i c h   r e gio n s   a re   a c t i v e   as   peo p l e
r e s p o nd  to   p ro du c t s   o r   m ak e  b r a nd  c ho i c es   or  a r e  e x p os ed   to
a d v e r tis em e n t s .

M a r k et i n g’s   us e  of   th e s e   n e w   d e v i c es   ha s   b ee n   c a l l e d
‘ n eu ro mark e ti ng ’.    Ye t  i t  is  re al l y j us t  a n e xt e ns io n o f  t h e  us e  o f

p u pi l o m e te r s

g a l van ic s ki n r es p on se

e y e t ra c k i ng

voic e

s t ress analysis

a nd e a rl i e r b r ai n wa v e me a s u r es – e a c h

h e r al de d  i n   i t s   ti m e  a s  a  r e v ol u t i o na r y   br e ak t hr oug h .  D es pi te
h y p e  b y   c o n s u l t an ts   o ff e ri ng   th e se   e a rl i e r   tec h no l o g i e s ,   n o ne   of
t h e m  e v e r  r e all y   f oun d   wi d es pr e a d,   l as ti n g   u s e   i n   m a r k et i n g
(

a l t h ou gh e y e tr ac k i n g h as c a rve d ou t a s m a l l n i c he

) .

T h e  i nc rea s i n gl y   c om m e r c i a l   n a tu r e  o f  s c i en c e   ha s   s o m et i m e s
r e s u l t e d  i n   h y pe d  c l a i m s   w i t h  r e p or ti n g o u ts tr i pp i n g  t h e  s c i e n ti fi c  s u bs t an c e .    In   ge n et i c s
t h i s   i s   re fe r r ed   t o   as   ‘

g e n oh y p e

’ : i n m ar k et i n g , i t i s ‘ n e ur o ma r k e ti n g’ . I n t h e r us h to to ut

t h e us e o f t he s e new d e v i c es , s up pl i e rs w e r e o bl i vi o us t o t he fe a rs t ha t h y p e d c l ai m s
m i g h t p ro v o k e i n s oc i e t y .

Brain Scan Machine

T h e At t ack
L a s t y ea r , c ru s a de r R a l ph N ade r s o un ded th e s oc i a l a l a r m (

N a d e r G r ou p Sl a m s E m o r y f o r

B r a i n R es e a rc h

) a nd t he re s u l t h as b e en a ba c k l as h an d a ret r e at .

N a d e r’ s org a ni z a ti on, ‘ Co m m e rc i a l A l e r t’ ,‘ us ed t h e m e d i a a nd i t s

w e b s i t e

to c o nd e m n

n e u ro m a rk e ti ng e x pe r i m en ts as un et hi c al . N eu r o ma r k e ti n g, i t s a y s , i s l i k e l y t o b e u s e d t o
p r o m o te “h u m a n di s e a s e a n d s u ff er i ng ”. I n a

r e qu e s t t o a fe d e ra l age n c y

i n the U . S. , i t

a s k e d th a t e x p e ri m en t s at E mo ry U ni v e rs i t y be i n ve s ti ga te d , c l ai m i ng th e y v i ol ate fe d er al
g u i d el i n es f o r re s e a rc h o n h u ma n s ub j e c ts . M or e r ec e nt l y, i t

re q ue s t e d th e U .S . Se n at e

C o m m i t t ee on C o mme r c e, Sci e nc e an d T r a ns po r ta t i o n

t o i nv e s ti g at e.

A t   th e  s am e   t i m e  as   ne u ro m ar k et i n g  l au n c h ed ,  t he   p ri m e  p ro s pe c ts   for   n eu r o m ar k et i n g
s e r vi c e s   we r e  a l r e ady  r e el i n g  fr o m   a tt ac k .   M a rk et i ng   s t an ds   ac c u s e d  o f b e i n g  a  c au s e  i n
t h e  s o c i al  e p i d e m i c s   o f  o be s i t y,   di ab e te s ,   alc o ho l i s m   a n d  g am b l i n g .  T he   l e ga c y  of   B i g

From Max Sutherland’s Weblog: www.sutherlandsurvey.com

T o b ac c o  ha s  l ef t  bi g  b r an ds  o f  f oo d ,  d ri nk s ,  a l c oh ol   et c   pa r ti c ul a rl y   v ul n e r ab l e  t o  ‘ gu i l t  b y
a s s oc i a ti on ’ .  Th r o win g   n e ur om a r k et i n g   i n to   t h e  exi s ti ng  f l ame s   w as  p o te n ti al l y  e x p l o s i v e.

S o c i al  c ri ti c i s m   o f  m a r k e ti n g  i s   n ot   ne w ,  a s  l ea di ng  b r an ds  l i k e   C oc a - Co l a,   M c Don a l d s   et c ,
c a n  at t es t  b ut   th i s   wa s  r e m i n i s c e nt  o f   Van c e  P ac k ar d ’ s  d e m on i s i n g  f i n ge r   po i n te d  a t
s u bli m i na l   a d v e rt i s i ng   i n  t h e  19 5 0’ s .

T h e   Re t r ea t

S i nc e   Com m e r c i a l   A l e rt ’ s   a tta c k ,  t he   c o n s u l t an c y   i n v ol v e d  i n  th e  e x p e ri m e n ts  a t   E m or y
U n i v e rs i t y,   ha s   c h a ng e d  i t s   n am e

( f ro m ‘ B r i gh t ho us e I ns ti tu te fo r T h oug h t S c i en c e s ’ to

B r i gh t ho us e Ne u ro s t r a te gi es G r o u p ) and s a y s i t no l o ng e r c o n du c t s ne u r o m ar k e t i n g a t t he
u n i v er s i t y

A n i n au g ur a l c o n fe re n c e o n ne u r o m ar k e t i n g, s c he d ul e d fo r A p ri l 2 004 , o r ga ni z e d b y
B a y l o r C ol l e ge o f M ed i c i n e i n H o u s t on , T e x a s w as

c a nce ll ed be ca us e o f t oo f ew

registrations

. Th i s pr o m p t ed on e

c o m m en t at o r

t o s a y : “Ei th e r c orp orat e Ame r i c a d o es n't

b e l i ev e  the   hy pe  s u rr o u nd i n g n e u ro ma r k e ti ng  o r  th e i r   ma r k e t i n g  d ep ar t me n t s   do n ' t
u n de r s t and   w h at  " ne u r o ma r k e t i n g "  me a n s . ”   D o ub t l e s s ,   th e  m o u nt in g   p u bl i c   d i s q u i e t  i s
a l s o   a   f ac to r .   A s

Newsweek

ob s er v e d, ne u r o m ar k e t i n g s u p pl i e rs ar e no w t r yi n g to

d i s t an c e th e m s el v es fr o m t h e t e r m wi th c l ie n ts a nd fu n de rs o f t h e m , of t en pr e fe rr i ng to
r e m a i n

a no n y m o u s

In research ing  t hi s  c ol um n,  I found  that SSPT, a  promising ad -testing technology I wrote
a b ou t  i n  Fe b  2 0 01 ,  (Ne w   H i -t ec h  A d -t es ti n g  M e th od )   ha d  c ea s ed  c o mme r c i al   ope r a ti on .
T h e  f ou n de r   of  i t,   Ric h ar d  S i l be r s t ei n  ( of  t he   B ra i n  S c i e nc es  In s ti tu te  i n  A us t ra l i a )  t ol d  m e
t h at   th e  b ra i n- w a v e  te c hn ol og y   h ad   fo u nd   i n c r e as i n g  a c c ep ta n c e   wi th  g l ob al   ad ve r ti s e rs
b u t  t ha t  “ th e  c o m pan y   w a s   und e rc a pi ta l i s e d  to   pu rs u e  th e  r ap i d  e x pa ns i o n  p at h  i t   ha d  s et
i ts el f ”.     A no t he r   c o mp a n y   o f fe ri n g

NASA developed brai n wave technology

a ls o s ee ms to

h a v e   d i s ap p ea r ed .

N e u r o m ark e ti ng  i s   i n   r et re a t  on   a  n u m ber   o f  fr o nt s .

Ge t R eal
D e s pi te  t he   al a r m ,  no   m a gi c   ‘ bu y - b u tt on ’   i s   be i n g  re v e a l e d  -  a s  a  q ui c k   p e ru s a l   of   th e
s t ud i e s   rep o r te d  s o  f a r , s h o ws   (

s e e my ne u r op s yc ho l og y webp a ge

) . A n u m b e r of f i n di ng s

c o n v er ge o n t h e p ref r o nt al c ort e x l oc a ted i n t h e l ow e r fo r ehe a d ( s e e i l l u s t r at i o n) b ut n o -
o n e i s c l ea r y et as to p re c i s ely w h a t al l t h i s m ea ns .

P r e f r o n t a l C o r t e x :

N o m a g i c ‘ b u y - b u t t o n ’

C h r i s F ri th of th e I ns ti t ut e o f N e u r ol og y i n Lo n do n (

P r o b e I nsi d e t he M in d of th e S h o p pe r

) p u t s i t i n m o r e

re al is tic  pe rsp ec ti ve:  "J us t b ec a us e y o u c an  s ee  an d
me a s u r e  an   i n c r e as ed   l e v e l   of  a c tiv i t y   i n  t h e  b ra i n ,
p e op l e fe el  th at  i s mo re  a ut h ori t at iv e th an  so me o ne
s ay i n g   wha t  t h ey  a re   th i n k i ng  o r   fe el i n g.  B u t  w e  do n ' t
r e al l y   k now  e n ou gh   a b ou t   h o w  t he   br ai n   w o r k s   a s   a
s y s te m  t o  b e  a bl e  t o  a pp l y  t hi s   r es e ar c h .  I t  i s  t o o  ea r l y  t o
s ay   w ha t  fi n di ng s   l i k e   th es e   me a n. "

From Max Sutherland’s Weblog: www.sutherlandsurvey.com

C o s t
C o s t  w o uld   ha r dl y   be   a  di s i nce n ti v e  i f  ne u r o m ar k e t i n g  m a tch e d  t he   o ve r - h y pe d c l a i ms   bu t
t h e  c o s t - va l ue   o f   i nfo r m a ti o n  d o es   p r ese n t  a   r eal i t y - c he c k .     I f   p e op l e   i d e nt i f y   w i th   C oc a -
C o l a  a nd   th i s   l i g h ts   u p   t h ei r  p re f r on ta l   c o r t e x,   th a t’ s   i n t er es ti n g …. bu t   a n   f M R I   bra i n
s c a n ne r

c o s ts $ U S 2. 5 m i l l i o n a n d r en ts f o r $ U S 1,0 0 0 p er ho u r

s o th e q ue s t i o n m u s t

a l wa ys  be,  wh at  c an yo u  d o  wit h  t h at  i nfo rma ti o n?

H i d d en   Pe r s u ad e rs ?
L i ng e ri ng   ‘ hi d de n   p er s ua d er ’   fe a rs   s ti l l  h a ng   o v er  f r o m  t he  1 9 50 ’ s   whe n  a d v e rt i s i n g
p r o m o te r  a n d  r es ear c he r ,  J am e s   Vi c a ry  c l a i m ed  p o w e rf ul   re s ul ts   f rom  f l as hi ng  ‘ dr i n k
C o c a- C ol a’   an d  ‘ Ea t   p o pc o rn ’   s u b l i m i n al l y   o n   a   m ov i e   s c r e en.   V ar i o us   c o un t ri es   t h en
r u s h e d  to  b a n  ‘ s ub l i m i n al   ad v e r ti s i ng ’   bu t  d ec a des  l a te r,   af te r   m o re  t ha n  2 0 0  f ai l u re s   b y
o t he r   r es ea r c h e rs   t o  r e pli c a t e  h i s   fi nd i n gs ,   V i c a r y  a d m i tt ed   hi s   r es ul ts   w e r e

f ab r i c a te d

T h es e f ear s r e m ai n e v e n t h oug h t h e al ar m w a s a fa ls e a l a r m. T h e p ubl i c ’ s b el i e f t ha t
s u bli m i na l a d v e rt i s i ng w o rks an d t h at ma r k e ti n g us es i t t o ma n ip ul a te c o ns u mpt io n ,
p e rs is ts .

W h e n ge ni es esc ape f ro m th ei r b o tt l e , eve n s h a m o n es , p eop l e c l i n g to a b el i e f

i n   t he i r  m a g i c al   p ow e r s .     A s   A n d r e w  Eh r e nb e rg   o n c e   s ai d ‘A d v e r t i s i n g   i s   i n   a n  o dd
p o s i ti on .   I t s   ex tr e me   p ro ta g on i s ts   c l a i m  i t   h as   ex t ra o rd i n ar y   p o w er s   a n d  i t s   s ev e re s t
c ri ti c s   b el i e v e  th e m.’

A l l   i n   all ,  i t   i s  n ot   a g o od   ti m e  f o r  c o m p an i es  t o  fl i rt   w i t h  t ec hn o l o gi es  th a t  s m ac k   o f
‘ hi d de n  p er s ua d er s ’ .  W hi l e   neu r os c i en c e   tec h n ol og y   u nd o ubt e dl y   ho l ds   pr o m i s e,  a n y
n o ti on   of  i t   fi nd i n g  a  h i d de n  ‘ bu y - b u tt on ’   i n  th e  b r ai n  i s   m o re  f an t as y   th a n  f ac t.  Y e t  i t  i s  a
f e a r  th a t w i l l  n o t  b e  e as i l y   dis p e l l ed .

W h e r e  T o  N e u r om ark e t in g ?
S o ,   wi th   ma r k e t er s   di s t a nc i n g  th e m s el v es  fr o m   t h e  t e r m ,  c o nf e r en c es   c a n c e l l ed   an d
c o m p an i es   fo l d i n g,  w h e r e  to   ne u r o m ar k e t i n g?

A c ti v i t y   i s   r e t re at i ng   i n to   t h e  c l o s et .    S tud i es   a r e  be i ng   c o mme n t ed   upo n   b y   r es ea r c h e rs   i n
m o r e   m e as u re d  t erms .    A   numb e r   of

s tu d i e s

a re c l o t he d i n a m o r e s oc i a l l y ac c e p ta bl e

l a be l -

n e ur o ec o no m i c s

. I t hi nk als o t her e wi l l b e a r ef oc us i n g o f a p pl i c a ti o ns t ow a r ds

p r o du c ts   an d   c au s e s   t ha t   h a v e  a   c l e a r  s o c i al  be nef i t  - a pp lica t io ns  l ik e  ro ad  s af et y
m e s s a g es ,   t r yi ng   to  p e rs u ad e p e op l e  to  g i v e  u p  s m o k i n g  o r  t o   res i s t  ove r - e at i n g.
D e v e l op i ng   an d  t es ti n g  s t r at eg i es  d es i gn e d  t o  c u re   r at he r   t ha n   c r ea te   s oc i a l   p ath o l o gi es
i s   h ar d  t o a r g ue   wi th.     B y  r e tr ea t i n g  ‘ i nt o t he   c l o s e t’ ,   t he   te c hn o l o g y   wi l l   c o nt i n ue   t o   b e
e x p l or e d  –a n d  t o  p ub l i c   a pp l au s e  r at he r  t ha n  p u bl i c   al a r m .

T h i s  u nd er s c o re s   tha t  t h e  to o l   i ts el f  i s   no t  t h e p rob l e m   b ut   i t   i s   a l l   i n  h o w   i t  i s   us e d  an d
w h a t  i t  i s  u s ed  f o r  (ju s t  l i k e  m a r k e ti n g  i ts el f ).   Th ere   a re  s o me   ad v o c a te s  f or   an  e t hi c a l
c h ar t er .  (S i l b e rs te i n ’ s  c o m p an y   N u e ro Vu ,   re fu s e d  t o  w o rk  on   c i ga r et te s  o r  a n y  “ p r od uc ts
o r   s e r vi c es   w hi c h ,  wh e n  us e d  a s   i nt en d ed ,   d e m o ns t r a bl y   c aus e   h a r m  to   pe o pl e. ”. )
J u dg in g by Bi g T oba cc o , th e  mo ra l co mp a ss  o f i nd i v i d u al s   i s   no t  a   r ea l i s t i c   a ns w e r   –  bu t
w h a t  a bo ut   i n du s t r y  c o de s   w i th   en f or c eme n t ?

A t   th i s  s tag e ,  t he  c od e s   of   et hi c s  o f  t he

A m e r i c a n

a n d

E u r o pe a n

ma rket i ng o r ga ni za ti o ns

a r e s i l e n t o n n e ur om a r k et i n g . Mo u nt i n g s oc i a l p res s u r e m a y s ee t h at c h an ge esp e c i al l y i f
n e u ro m a rk e ti ng t ec h n ol o g y de l i v e rs on i ts pr o m i s e an d f i n ds wi d er use .

From Max Sutherland’s Weblog: www.sutherlandsurvey.com

C o n c lu sio n
U n l i k e s u bl i m i n al a dv e r t i s i n g, n e u ro m a rk e ti ng s uf fe r s f ro m hyp e no t h oa x .

W e ne e d t o g et

r e al   ab ou t  n eu r o m a rk e ti ng  a n d  t he  c l a i ms   m a de  f or   i t .    Tu r ni n g  b ac k   t ec h no l o gi c a l
d e v e l o p me n t  i s   i m po s s i b l e .     Li k e   c l o ni ng   an d   s tem  c el l   r es e a rc h , s om e   a pp l i c a t i o ns   wi l l   b e
d e s i ra bl e  b u t  o th e rs   w i l l   r eq ui r e   gu i d el i n e s ,  ' eth i c a l   c ha r te rs '   a nd   pe rh a ps   e v e n  l eg i s l a ti on
t o   c on t ro l   t h e  di r ec ti o n   o f   t h e  te c hn ol og y .   Fo r   t h e  m o m e n t ,  ne u r o m ar k e t i n g  i s   i n  r e tr ea t .
B u t   i t  i s   a   r e t re at   ‘ i nto   th e   c l ose t ’   no t   i nto   ob l i v i on .

W. Weir, 'Another look at subliminal "facts" ', Advertising Age, Oct. 15, 1984, p. 46

Stuart Rogers (1993). How a Publicity Blitz Created the Myth of Subliminal Advertising. Public Relations Quarterly,

Winter: 12-17.

Andrew Ehrenberg, 'Repetitive advertising and the consumer’, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 1, Sept. 1982, pp.

70-79

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