Brain wave analysis. An electroencephalographic technique used for evaluating the communications‐effect of advertising

Abstract

The results from the authors's applied research studies of communications‐effect and electroencephalographic (EEG) recording, which took place over the last ten years, employing thousands of respondents, are integrated in this paper. Application of EEG methodology to ad research, rather than theory, is stressed. Brain Wave Analysis , an EEG technique, is described. A positive relationship determined between Brain Wave Analysis and sales is discussed, as well as various applications such as “brain typing” the target market. The application of Brain Wave Analysis in determining effective advertising frequency is discussed as it relates to Krugman's three exposure theory. The continuing development of EEG analysis is briefly discussed.

25 years of Psychology & Marketing: a multidimensional review

“…These studies deal with a "general interest focused on research methodology" (Jacoby, Johar, & Morrin, 1998, p. 321). Some of the earlier examples of general methodological contributions include Weinstein, Weinstein, and Drozdenko's (1984) explication of brain wave analysis, the methodological comparison of the List of Values and the Rokeach Value Survey by Beatty et al (1985) and Nevid's (1984) introduction of electroencephalographic (EEG) methods for assessing the impact of advertising stimuli. A variety of general methodological contributions, ranging from the quantitative analysis of in-depth interviews (Bolton & Bronkhorst, 1991) and computerized sociometric marketing (Bainbridge, 1991) to marketing clustering techniques (Holbrook, 2001), are evident within this broad category.…”

Physiological responses and advertising effects: Is the cup half full or half empty?

“…The lure of using physiological measures by advertising researchers has been noted by Weinstein et al (1984) and Stewart (1984). Traditional assessments such as self-report measures of attitudes or purchase inclinations require several sometimes dubious assumptions-that people are able to determine their attitudes or behavioral inclinations toward stimuli and that they are willing to disclose this information truthfully to another person (e.g., Rankin, 1955; Westie & DeFleur, 1959; see recent reviews by Petty & Cacioppo, 1983; Stewart & Furse, 1982).…”

“…EFFECTS? Weinstein et al (1984) clearly view their Brain Wave Analysis to be an advance over verbal measures alone when assessing specific advertising effects:…”

“…There are also times when Brain Wave Analysis can point directly to flaws in an ad (Weinstein et al, 1984, p. 29). Weinstein et al (1984) claim that EEG measures can be used to assess, among other effects, viewers' attention to the advertisementat specific points in time, the intensity of the emotional reactions elicited by specific aspects of the advertisement, and their comprehension and retention of the advertisement. To assess these specific communication effects, they extract measures of what they termed "arousal" and "interest," and specific advertising effects are inferred from these measures (and their derivatives) given the particular context in which the EEG was recorded.…”

“…lographic (EEG) activity as a function of advertising stimuli. Weinstein et al (1984) suggested that their technique for analyzing EEG activity provided a relatively unbiased means for evaluating specific effects of advertisements. Stewart (1984), on the other hand, contended history has shown repeatedly that physiological assessments are employed prematurely to study advertising effects in the false hope that these assessments would provide "purer" measures of specific psychological processes or behavioral inclinations.…”