Neurosciences applied to brand marketing, also known as neuromarketing, uses knowledge of the brain and human behaviour to optimise advertising strategies, brand image and customer experience.
We would like to illustrate this complex concept with a case study we carried out at Inessens: a study of consumers’ unconscious reactions, their actual perception of packaging elements and their preferences regarding the use of techniques to ennoble a wine label.
What are neurosciences?
Neuromarketing is based on the study of consumers’ cerebral and emotional reactions to marketing stimuli. These physical reactions are difficult to control and are therefore not limited or biased by external factors.
It draws on cognitive neurosciences, which study perception, attention and memory; affective neurosciences, which analyses the impact of emotions on purchasing decisions; and neuro-economics, which explores the mechanisms involved in economic and purchasing decisions.
How does it work?
In a traditional study such as a round-table discussion, participants are asked a series of questions based on their conscious perceptions and influenced by the other participants and their own culture.
When neurosciences are used, the aim is to understand how consumers react to marketing campaigns by studying their reactions. A number of techniques can be used, from MRI, which measures brain activity in response to advertising or packaging, to electroencephalograms, which assess emotional engagement in real time. Eye-tracking can also be used to analyse where and for how long a consumer looks at an ad or website. Heart rate, perspiration and facial micro-expressions can also reveal hidden emotions. All these methods can be used to validate decisive graphic choices to optimise their impact on consumers.
How can I use them for my brand?
With the growing number of references in all sectors, it is often difficult to stand out and reach your target audience, whether at the points of sale, on websites or in magazines. Consumers are under enormous pressure, have limited resources (time, motivation, skills) and are often doing other things at the same time (walking, phoning, thinking about other things). It is therefore important to include ‘implicit’ elements such as colour, shape, typeface, images, etc., which will have powerful automatic effects.
With the use of neuromarketing, brands test their advertising campaigns by measuring consumers’ emotional reactions to maximise their impact. For example, a brand will be able to adjust the background colour of its advertising according to the emotions generated.
Eye-tracking helps to optimise the design and content of website interfaces and applications to ensure a more intuitive customer experience. Brands use these techniques to maximise the conversion of visitors into buyers.
Brands are looking to create strong emotional associations in order to be more firmly anchored in consumers’ memories. Neurosciences offer them the opportunity to validate these associations.
When it comes to pricing, the brain perceives certain prices as more attractive (e.g. €9.99 instead of €10). Studies also show that paying with a bank card reduces the pain of the purchase compared with paying in cash.
And these are just a few examples!
Case study from Inessens, a label printer
Our customers have long confirmed the positive impact of ennobling techniques such as embossing hot foil versus flat hot foil on premium perceptions. We wanted to confirm this with a scientific study carried out by one of the most recognised scientific bodies for analysing consumers’ unconscious reactions to different versions of the same packaging.
We already knew from previous studies that 80% of information about a product comes to the consumer through sight, hence the importance of opting for quality packaging to make a difference.
Scientific studies show just how irrational consumers’ spontaneous perceptions of wine can be, due to a multitude of extrinsic factors such as the shape of the label, its material, the typefaces used and the colours.
To analyse consumer behaviour, we worked on two dimensions: the first was affective, focusing on the spontaneous emotion aroused by each of the hot foil, while the second was cognitive, measuring essential values in the act of buying: emotional power, premium positioning, degree of confidence and perception of the innovation factor.
The results speak for themselves, and our study has confirmed a key point, namely that each of the finishing techniques brings a more premium perception of the product. At an equivalent price and with the same information appearing on the label, the notions of emotion and premiumisation are important in making the difference. We’ve found that consumers have more confidence in a label that has been finely crafted with embossing hot foil and a tinted reprint on top. Knowing how difficult it is for a consumer to make a choice on the shelf, increased confidence in a label is an important criterion.
One of the criteria demanded by the market more than by the consumer himself is innovation and the perception of innovation in a product. And it is extremely difficult in the world of wine to be innovative without compromising on the criteria of trust, premiumisation and emotion.
One of the strengths of these techniques is that they are perceived as innovative while maintaining very high scores on the other criteria.
In conclusion, it can be said that neurosciences applied to marketing enables brands to improve their communication and customer relations based on a better understanding of the human brain. When used ethically, these techniques can improve the consumer experience while enhancing the effectiveness of marketing strategies. Inessens printers have experimented with neurosciences and now know the key criteria to use when designing labels and/or making technical recommendations.
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