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Brain scans: Focus group of the future?

Healthcare Strategist Trend Watch, December 1, 2006

Well-known brands activate positive emotional responses in the brain, according to the results of a "brain branding" study led by Christine Born, MD, a radiologist at University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany.

Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study areas of the brain affected by visual stimuli associated with well-known and lesser-known brands.

The following were among the findings presented on November 28 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America:

 Strong brands activated a network of cortical areas and areas involved in positive emotional processing and associated with self-identification and rewards

 Strong brands were processed with less effort on the part of the brain while weak brands showed higher levels of activation in areas of working memory and negative emotional response

 The activation pattern was independent of the category of the product or the service being offered

Born said the research could be used as a benchmark to better understand how the brain processes brand-related information. "The vision of this research is to better understand the needs of people and to create markets which are more oriented towards satisfaction of those needs," she said. "Research aimed at finding ways to address individual needs may contribute to a higher quality of life."

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