Big Brands and Brain Waves

In a recent WSJ article: Biology of Brand Identity, another article on what has come to be called neuromarketing. The images at the right describe the findings that a big brand requires less brain work, top image, than a weaker brand, bottom. This idea has reaped considerable controversy in implying that it could result in a 'buy switch' that could be activated by the right kind of marketing message. This is new research that specifically looks at the strength of brands, and tried to determine how that aspect effects the brain. I believe that this and and related ideas will ultimately become important if they can be validated. . "... use of MRI to gauge consumer response eliminates the risk of dishonest or incomplete answers in market surveys. In an informal experiment, she says she asked a student to name his favorite brand of sneakers, and he said Adidas. But under MRI, the Puma brand evoked a more positive response, and the student admitted that his favorite shoe was a Puma model that was out of his price range ...". Some of my other posts discuss this further and compare it to other biological sensor models.