Reply #1: Here is the insider's deal... [View All]

[creativelcro]

A few years ago a colleague began to propose using neuroimaging to test the effects of ads on brain activity, so as to be able to go "beyond" focus groups and surveys. A deal was made with a big company (no names, sorry). The press got wind of it and the company pulled off because of the fear of bad PR. In the meanwhile some patents were filed and approved (check on the US patents database for marketing and brain imaging). Now they are starting again. There is at least a company doing it. And a number of people interested in it. Why are they interested ? You see, these business types are essentially idiots... They'll buy anyting. They spend millions on methods to evaluate ads that are basically random draws. The "neuroimaging" component sounds objective, the latest buzz... In reality it's all BS. A few people who know how to do brain imaging etc want to make a buck and exploit the gullibility of these biz types. They'll catch on at some point, perhaps. In practice, if you have a method that gives you an answer about which ad is best and then the ad flops, one can always attribute it to "bad timing", whatever...
In any way, conspiracy guys, DON'T WORRY. There is nothing to it. Nobody can read minds. The press does not understand this field at all. If they tell you they can read your mind or know how you feel by putting you in the MRI machine please remember it is not true. Take it from somebody who's done this for a long time...
-C