Excellent article on Neuromarketing

So, what exactly is it?

"Neuromarketing is an extension of peering inside people’s heads with devices."
"Neuromarketing is an applied extension of neuroscience. The application of brain-scan technology to marketing, especially the use of fMRI, gave rise to the term. "

We now have the technology to see what's happening in the brain when people are exposed to various products and advertisements.

"When Daimler Chrysler recently showed pictures of their cars while measuring brainwave activity with an fMRI scanner, they found that sports cars stimulated the reward centre of the brain, which is also the area stirred by drugs, alcohol and sex. The front view of the cars, with distinctive facade and headlight “eyes”, subjects showed brain activity in the facial recognition centre of the brain.

With so much knowledge, how are we ever going to escape subliminal advertising again?

The article talks about the history of this, reviewing pupilometers, galvanic skin response, (GSR), eye tracking, and EEG. Also a nice overview of memorable studies dating back to the 1960's.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/7114/