How Neuromarketing can help your Ads.

Keywords, brick and mortar product placement and spamming are dying. Neuromarketing is now painting the future of selling. It's based on the fact that 95% of everyone's thoughts, decisions and emotions happen before we are consciously aware of it. The remaining 5% of our brain is what we are really speaking to. Scientists are able to study the effects of visual branding on the 95% of our unconscious (through MRI and EEG Scans) and depict how marketers can most effectively advertize. Knowing what it is, who does it, what tools can be utilized and its moral implications can lead your company to increased sales.

If the majority of our decisions are based on unconscious visual perceptions, then it is a delusion that the conscious mind fully guides our actions and reactions. However, without stimulation to our consciousness there is nothing to hold our unconscious attention. Visualizations and emotions are key to this effort; They are a pattern our brain is accustomed to. The idea of Neuromarketing is to study the effects of visuals on our brain and determine what arouses our interest the most.

Companies are already applying these efforts. Old Spices’ system consists of Pattern interrupts; quickly changing the scenes of their 30 second commercials to keep your brain amused and intrigued (I’m on a boat, I have two tickets to that thing, now they’re diamonds…I’m on a horse). These are some of the most popular commercials out there and they increased Old Spice sales in the first year by 27%. They are using Neuromarketing.

A blind taste test between Coke and Pepsi came back with an almost equal split. When the test was applied again (this time knowing which one was which) the subjects significantly preferred Coke to Pepsi.  It tells us that when someone has a positive perception of a brand, taste is overpowered (effects may vary).

There are many Neuromarketing tools being applied every day.

- Since we are inundated with thousands of messages on a daily basis, short pitches are best used for potential clients. Over explaining is a pattern our brains are used to, so instead it would be useful to make short impactful statements.

- Utilize visuals. They connect directly to the unconscious part of our brains.  Keep the visuals flowing and don't let one stick for too long. It bores the mind.

- An attention-getting opening and dramatic close is noticed by your brain more than anything. Shorten the body and use impactful facts.

- You may think complicated cleverness shows how much knowledge you have and how well-spoken you are.  If it’s not a language that everyone understands then the brain wants to stray from the delivery.

- Emotion creates disruption. It hits our intellect with more power than any effective argument. Use it only to strengthen key parts of your pitch.

Using these tactics to play to the unconscious parts of the brain is a market for growth.  Though, some, feel Neuromarketing could be used to manipulate consumer behavior. With knowledge comes power and the potential to abuse it. If companies know what aptly engages our attention, buying habits and perceptions then they can forecast how to persuade our behavior to their advantage (This is the basis of the 2012 movie 'Branded'). However, it's impossible to design a super ad that will make people want to buy something they don't want.

To find out what we want, marketing firms had to realize that people skew their answers based on perception, time, opinion and sycophantic behavior. Our attention span is reduced due to constant computer interaction, so marketers have to alter their strategy and feed us information in the most basic baby style way they can. Neuromarketing helps to understand what is most appealing to the human brain and many companies employ these practices already. There are numerous ways a corporation can use it, but how far will they go to understand how our brains work? (Too SciFi?)

There are many influential tools implemented in Neuromarketing. These tools are the culmination of the evolution of our society. We have progressed to a new stage of interaction and, therefore, some of the processes we used to use in marketing are no longer pertinent. Neuromarketing understands our now day decision-making processes. There may be more appealing advertisements that are funny, informative, and direct, but it is always your decision to purchase. Think logically when considering a product and remember that everyone will try to persuade you.

How Transparency Helps your Career.

Corporations are utilizing new markets for sustainable growth with methods of Transparency.  The practices of companies like Enron and WorldCom deterred our trust in major corporations. Businesses like Google who send out transparency reports quarterly have made their financials open to the public. Relaying intricate knowledge, comfortably instills an aura of respect and discourages reputation sabotage. A commitment to transparency helps build relationships, reputation and perpetuates the legitimacy of integrity and accountability. This commitment encompasses your business, customers, and your life.

Consider your co-workers for a moment. Have you ever requested something without explanation? Were they motivated to help you without reason? In my experience, they are more apt to expedite your request if given the explanation. Empathy is one of the key components to Transparency. Hold your co-workers to a higher standard and update them on the status of your project or sale. They will provide better support if they understand how and why you are requesting something from them.

Reciprocation is expected with your co-workers. Make ‘Rounds’ (like visiting patients) and ask your co-workers about issues or gratifications. Set up a suggestion box and make sure they know you have an ‘Open Door’ policy. All of these techniques will let people know that you are an honest person who will tell you if there is something important to say.

Portraying this to new customers can be a difficult priority. It is your job to build a strategic relationship of trust in an atmosphere where dishonest tactics are sometimes an unfortunate reality. Statements like, ‘That’s our policy’ or ‘it’s the best we can do’ repel clients because they feel you are being evasive. Long lasting business relationships can be facilitated by letting your clients see behind the curtain. Divulging your inner mechanics enhances their perceptions and increases your chance of future collaboration. 

On a personal note, these methods pertain to life as well.  Stress can cause bitter complaints or illegitimate assumptions. Venting out your joys or concerns makes you feel better and allows friends and family to empathize with your moods. Bottling up personal emotions is reflective to a company that does not divulge financial statements. Eventually, there will be a dramatic public display of disputes and nobody wants that.

Transparency is the full, accurate disclosure of information. Honesty and responsibility inflate empathy, reputation and the respect you vie for in your personal and professional careers. Disclosure of information extends empathy in your relationships and places you in good standing for referrals. Without an open attitude, you may be inadvertently driving people away. Protect yourself from using persuasion tactics by employing divulgence. When you do that, people will plainly see your moral character.

This is Facebook Graph

You can search Google for restaurant reviews and get answers from hundreds (nay thousands) of people you don’t know. Do you trust their opinion? What if they are nothing like you? What if you ask them what is the best animal hospital in your city? What if that review was posted by an employee to drive traffic and they accidentally neuter your dog? Don’t you want to know about these things from people you trust?

Welcome, Facebook Graph.

It’s the big announcement Facebook presented yesterday and it just might revolutionize Search. What it does, is search your Facebook Friends for answers to your questions. It brings up that they “liked” that barbecue restaurant, or that the DMV on Cherry street has the longest wait of any DMV ever. You are basically searching for answers in every post/share/like/photo/tag on every one of your friends profile page, at the same time. These are the people you have decided to trust with viewing your profile and now you are able to “poll” them for the answers you seek.

The applications of this are immense. You could find out what friends of friends are hiring. Who is interested in hockey? Who is writing political statements? Who liked the area you are moving to? Who lives in the area you are moving to? Personal interaction will be increased massively but what about professional?

With Graph, you could find out who is looking for a new iPad and send them a sales ad. Who is looking to partner with an E-Waste recycling company? Who has particular skill sets? The list can go on and on. It’s going to be a staple for businesses and their marketing schemes. You could potentially advertise to anyone your friends are friends with.

Naturally, this search feature is raising more Privacy concerns for the already skeptical user. Facebook Graph was designed with privacy in mind, so here is what I would do: Find one day out of this month and set aside 6 hours to slowly and carefully enhance your Facebook privacy settings. If you don’t, people will be able to see that picture of you doing a beer bong when they search for ‘local pubs.’


One company to think about is Google. They aren’t saying much now but in the future they may need to be on their guard. Facebook Graph is partnered with Microsoft Bing for searches that don’t come up in your social network. So if your friends don’t have anything to say about it, at least you can look it up through your profile page.

Google is prominent for ‘Web Searches’ so there isn’t much to worry about right now. But with the rise of Social networks and the importance they are exuding, these organic network searches could become an issue as more people start trusting their friends over the web.

How networking sites are like parties.

Before the days of the internet, people would host a get together, gathering, party, or gala.  They would plan outfits, practice their etiquette, write invitations and emphasize presentation.  During the event, the host would make sure to converse with all their guests and introduce people to each other. Their job was to make sure everyone was comfortable physically and mentally by providing food and drink and helping to stimulate intellectual conversation. The guest would then be obligated to complement the host and engage with the other guests.

In this day and age, these events have been lost on the technological youth (myself included). We don’t go to events and practice the customs our grandparents once did. We attend online galas and participate in RSS feeds and even chat rooms (if they are still around).

The physical ‘third place’ has been diminished to an online interaction. So, we must compare physical parties to social networking sites. Think about it, you don’t need to go to class reunions when you have Facebook. There is not much need for a corporate networking event when you can join a LinkedIn group and socialites tweet about.  So for those who miss the old style gatherings, here is a guide for social networking sites and how you can ‘attend’ them online.

Facebook: It’s like going to a high school or family reunion where you can converse with people you haven’t seen in years. It’s a more personal gathering of people and you feel more open to expressing your true self.  At first you send them messages and see what they are up to but then you realize you don’t have much in common besides the fact that you knew each other at one point. So you maintain them as your friend, read their updates, but don’t really interact with them because they keep asking you to participate in their Zynga games or continuously express their political stances. Eventually, you remove them in a mass friend cleansing. Months or a year later you see them in your ‘people you may know’ list and repeat the process, only to feel a sickening Deja’ Vu.  Soon your interactions seem watered down and you slowly stop participating as you move on to a more interesting network party.

LinkedIn: Have you ever gone to a corporate networking event where like-minded business associates collaborate to hand out business cards and vie for your partnerships? This is what a LinkedIn party is all about. Associates go around introducing themselves handing out information with the hopes that one of their new contacts will provide them with a better job or a sale. As time goes on you find answers for support issues and marketing schemes to help grow your business.  This is the party you go to, to plug yourself, your business, and your career.  Walking out of this you usually come out with a list of connections and only a handful of legitimate contacts. Not to worry! You have connected with so many people that you start to turn into a socialite! Next stop Twitter!

Twitter: Imagine going to a party of interesting people who consistently intrigue you with one-liners and quips. This is the socialite gala event where everyone has a new piece of information that is brought to you by the open-ended question, ‘have you heard about this..?’ These people know a lot but in most cases haven’t researched but one or two things beyond on what they are speaking.  There is so much information going around that you get lost in the continuous feeds. If you don’t keep up you will lose your flock and won’t get the ‘promoted’ follow-ship you were once so proud of.

At this point, you want to move on to another style of party, but are tired of the one’s you’ve already been to. Now is when you get creative and join something called:

Google+: This is the underdog of social networking parties. It combines the same setup as all the other parties you’ve been to but seems a little bit worldlier. This gathering is hit or miss. It can be like going to a banquet or casino in Monaco with interesting travelers and fun atmospheres that entice you to return. On the flip side, it can be a party where you don’t know anyone and are consistently bored throughout the evening. It’s the kind of event that depends on your mood. You could be the life of the party and stimulate others or stand in the corner and people watch. The only thing different about this gathering is that it’s hosted by one of the most important engines in the business, and you feel obligated to keep going, with hopes that your friends will follow you.

Those are the most popular events you have been to, but there are some 'other' intriguing ones as well. The ‘High Fidelity’ friends are popping up on Tumblr, Tsu or Ello. Your photography group is constantly showing you their new work on Instagram or VSCO.  Your crafty friends (who always invite you to their fairs or gallery shows) are on Etsy or Pinterest. You're 'know it all groups' are correcting your gramarr on Reddit or showing you how to do something on YouTube, Vimeo or Vevo.  

You can always find new groups of people to hang out with online, and each of them are similar to group events you have been to in real life. You get an invite, converse with others, deliberate, send thank you’s and in the future you relate to past events. 

All of these gatherings are still happening in real life, yet we attend the supplemental events that are available to us online. This, however, does not exclude us from the formalities of accepting invitations, commenting on posts, and following a person’s work. Whether in person or online, we are obligated to attend parties with some sense of formality even if it has receded beyond the norms of yesteryear. Remember that online you can hurt your reputation just as much as you could in real life. So please have a sense of decency and don’t pretend like every party is a toga party.

The Smartwatch revolution begins!

 The Pebble Smartwatch is finally coming to fruition! The company has finally entered mass production and will begin shipping on January 23rd.

The Pebble smartwatch was Kickstarter’s highest funded project, surpassing its $100,000 goal by over $10,000,000.  They are providing the first innovatively designed tech watch. Apple was rumored to be researching designs (you can find out about that here: http://tinyurl.com/apvlbhx ) but they are only rumors.

Pebble ran into some production delays which led to much criticism and considering their excelled funding, I can understand why. However, a company that wants to put out a quality product should take their time so consumers get the most bang for the buck.

Here are the features of the most exciting watch you will ever want:

- Connects to iPhone or Android via Bluetooth
- Open SDK to build your own apps
- Waterproof
-  Accelerometer
- Vibrating Motor
- ARM Microprocessor
- 7 Day Battery Life
- Control the music on your phone
- Notifications: caller ID, Email, SMS, iMessage, Calendar Alerts, Facebook Messages, Twitter updates, Weather alerts, Vibrating Alarm and Timer..


- Scratch and shatter resistant lens with Anti-Glare coating
- Backlight Display
- Interchangeable 22M watch bands.

They are in mass production and the Kickstarter contributors get first dibs. After that however, public ordering will be available form the website. For $150 you can have one of the most advanced smartphone accessories known and you no longer have to dry your hands off when doing the dishes to check your messages.  The applications will be more grand than dishwashing I'm sure. Can you think of any other uses that these smartwatch accessories would have?