Display & Design Ideas - February 2009 - (Page 8)

8 book report Buyology Martin Lindstrom’s latest book explains the truth and lies about why we buy By Alison Embrey Medina, Executive Editor later fMRI results “showed that cigarette warning labels not only failed to deter smoking, but by activating the nucleus accumbens, it appeared they actually encouraged smokers to light up,” Lindstrom writes. Lindstrom defines “Buyology” as “the subconscious thoughts, feelings and desires that drive the purchasing decisions we make each and every day of our lives.” In short, 85 percent of everything we do takes place in the subconscious, irrational mind. Why do we choose one brand over another, watch one commercial and tune out another? In his studies, Lindstrom suggests that product placement may not be as effective as once believed, explores the relevancy of subliminal messaging, and argues the alliance between brands, rituals and religion—all using cuttingedge neuroimaging techniques. Companies have spent thousands of hours tweaking and testing their logos, but Lindstrom states that visual images are far more effective and memorable when coupled with another sense, such as sound or smell. In fact, the study concluded that odor activates many of the exact same brain regions as the sight of a product—if you smell a doughnut, you’re likely to picture it, or even a Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme logo. Lindstrom also uses the example of how sound can cause unconscious decisions. In a test in a supermarket wine section, the sales of either French or German wines that were purchased were directly congruent with whether French or German music was playing over the speakers. In forecasting tomorrow’s retail world, Lindstrom writes, “It will have the distinct smell of cantaloupe, lemongrass and tangerine. It won’t be black and white, but in vivid color. It will chirp, waltz, holler, infuse you, and leave you humming. And this assault on your senses will be more effective in winning your mind, your loyalty and your dollars than you ever thought possible.” Neuromarketing, in Lindstrom’s stance, will become the primary tool companies use to determine the success or failure of their products, and will save hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. “I believe that our national obsession with buying and consuming is just going to escalate, as marketers become better and better at targeting our subconscious wishes and desires,” he says. www.ddimagazine.com ake more than 2,000 consumer test subjects stretched across six countries, implore 200 researchers and spend a whopping $7 million scanning brains over three years, and what have you got? The largest, most revolutionary neuromarketing experiment in history— and the fascinating results printed in brand expert Martin Lindstrom’s latest book: “Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy.” Neuromarketing, Lindstrom explains, is the combination of scientific research with marketing, and he proclaims it will soon join qualitative and quantitative analysis as the third measure of the marketing world. His research includes a combination of fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technology, a brainscanning technique that measures the magnetic properties of the brain and can determine what areas are heightened in response to certain stimuli, and SST (steady-state typography), which tracks rapid brain waves in real time. Through the data that results, Lindstrom’s book explores the true mindset of consumers, from how the subconscious mind can be more powerful than the rational one to whether or not sex really sells. The book launches with a startling revelation—could cigarette warning disclaimers actually encourage smoking? The study examines how focus groups may not be as reliable as marketers once thought, as subjects often respond with what they think is the right answer or what the researchers want to hear. The majority of smokers in the study answered “yes” to the question of whether cigarette warning labels deterred them from smoking—yet the T February 2009 http://www.warnerusa.com http://www.warnerusa.com http://www.dittohangers.com http://www.ddimagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Display & Design Ideas - February 2009

Display & Design Ideas - February 2009
From the Editor
Contents
News Watch
Book Report
Editor's Choice
Cover Story: Channel Focus: Toy Retail
Zu + Elements
Zonik
Weathering the Storm: Part 1
Right Light
Product Spotlight
GlobalShop Preview
GlobalShop Products
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

Display & Design Ideas - February 2009