Marketing has evolved to become more of a science than just an art. Neuromarketing, the new science of marketing is performed using scientific techniques and tools like EEG, fMRI, eye tracking, and face coding to name a few. In Neuromarketing, neuroscience is applied to marketing to study how the consumer’s brain works and which areas of the brain have activated that influence their decision to purchase.
Furthermore, these neuroscientific methods use various tools and techniques to measure neuronal activities and understand how the brain reacts to extra sensory stimuli. Here are some neuromarketing tools and techniques that are used in performing neuromarketing research:
1. Functional MRI (fMRI)
fMRI is like a quick trip into the brain. The participant is made to lie on the bed with their head surrounded by a scanner to track the changes in blood oxygenation in the brain, which are correlated to neuronal activities. fMRI helps to measure brain activities by detecting changes associated with blood flow. The results help in reading the brain’s electromagnetic activities, helping marketers to understand consumers’ preferences in terms of features that attract them, color, packaging, and designs that attract or bore them. fMRI helps you to study small and deep structures of the brain. This technique is very expensive, confining, intrusive, and non-portable.
2. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
This is another technique that registers the physiological activities of the brain and so the Electroencephalogram is also termed a mind-reading technique. EEG is performed using headbands or helmets that have small sensors. EEG Is very time-sensitive and accurate. It can relate a stimulant to its reaction almost immediately, which is what makes it so useful to figure out exactly which elements provide which kinds of feelings to the consumer. Compared to fMRI, EEG is more economical and portable. The only drawback is that it has lower precision in locating which area of the brain is causing the reaction.
3. Electrocardiogram (ECG)
In neuromarketing, ECG is commonly used because it enables information to be recorded, in real-time, on the emotional state of participants exposed to public stimuli. The ECG measures and records the electrical activity of the heart. This technique involves low cost, is not very invasive, and also is more comfortable.
4. Galvanic skin response (GSR)
In neuromarketing, the Galvanic skin response or GSR measures precise changes in skin perspiration. For example, if a person is exposed to a physically exciting marketing stimulus, he/she may start sweating due to an increase in the activity of endocrine glands.
Bitbrains Ring is one of the most used neuromarketing technologies as it includes both sensors: a galvanometer and an ECG. This technology is highly accepted by the participants and allows the researchers to measure the emotional activation produced in a particular time interval that oscillates between calmness and an excitation state.
5. Eye-tracking
Eye-tracking calculates and records the eye movements of the consumer to identify the position of the pupil by utilizing infrared light. It helps you to attain information on visual attention. Eye-tracking can answer various questions like How much attention do consumers pay to products promoted at the store’s entrance, or do consumers read posters, and so on. A few types of eye trackers used are:-
- Stationary eye-tracker
- Eye-tracker glasses
- Eye-trackers in virtual reality glasses
- Eye-tracking through webcams
6. Facial coding (FC)
Facial coding is used to read faces with extra precision. It calculates and records the voluntary and involuntary movements of facial muscles. A small smile may not show what exactly you feel but FC reads and interprets subtle reactions offering insights. It is an inexpensive and portable technology that can be implemented using a webcam too. Facial coding is not very invasive and has low accuracy when compared to Electroencephalogram.
7. Sensory marketing techniques
As the name suggests, this is all about different forms of sensory marketing. It involves the five senses of human sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. It is based on an idea where you impact the audience to be attracted to a certain brand in the presence of sensory stimulations. For example, you must have realized some supermarkets have this lovely smell of bread. You would think about the bread and the fragrance may convince you to buy it. This approach helps to sway you towards a certain brand in the presence of sensory stimulations.
Neuromarketing tools and techniques help to complement expository techniques being used for years, in traditional market research. Neuromarketing tools help you to gather valuable information from the subconscious minds of the consumers. Some tools are not used much due to their high cost, participants’ non-acceptance, and reliability. But some tools are used frequently by companies dedicated to neuromarketing.
However, you must remember that the accuracy and authenticity of these tools and techniques also depend on the following factors:
- Quality of the technologies
- Accurate Data processing
- Context of use
- Experimental protocol
Neuromarketing proves to be important for the analysis of consumer behavior through these neuroscientific tools and techniques. It can be termed as the new fundamental tool of marketing in the future. Neuromarketing has enormous ways to boost the relationship between your brand and consumers. To know more about Neuromarketing check out our blog, ‘The New Science Of Marketing: “Neuromarketing”
