Marketing has always tried to influence customers into purchasing a company's product, so it was only a matter of time before technology and advances in science helped defined more clearly what it is that makes people specially interested in a particular item for consumption, and what elements of that product can make a person embark on good feelings and/or memories. In that sense, the notion that neuromarketing is "bad" because it bypasses people's will of sharing information with marketers is a too radical of a stance in my opinion. As stated in the Times magazine article
The Brain: Marketing To Your Mind by Alice Park, Neuroscience could open the door for the marketing field to remove a lot of rudimentary measures such as focus groups questionnaires and other similar studies of a population where the answers are inevitably subject to a certain degree of bias. Neuroscience is more of an instrument to reduce uncertainty in research, and in turn, both companies and the customer could benefit from these new investigative methods, since it could help business understand better the customer's conscious and unconscious needs and possible wants.
The fine line between invasive and resourceful is what needs to be clearly defined when doing this potentially complex form of marketing research. As long as the studies are conducted and used to understand the consumer and with full awareness of all individuals involved, I believe is a positive advancement for the marketing community. Neuromarketing is a clear form of system improvement by refining the process to gather information. It's not changing marketing's purpose, it's more of a tool to facilitate results.
Sources:
Park, Alice. The Brain: Marketing To Your Mind.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580370,00.html
Miyazaki, Anthony. They're inside my computer. Now they want to get inside my brain. The rise of Neuromarketing.
http://e-marketingforsensiblefolk.blogspot.com/2010/11/theyre-inside-my-computer-now-they-want.html
Dooley, Roger. Neuro-Optimized Products – Good or Evil?
http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/neuro-optimization.htm
While I am hesitant to accept the idea of someone actually trying to "get inside my head" for the purpose of increasing their own profits, I do agree with your view on Neuromarketing. Although I think it can be taken too far, as of now it does show a step in the right direction and it is good to see people think outside the box for new innovative marketing strategies. After all, it is 2010! Those marketing questionnaires and surveys can definitely be considered outdated! Like you, my main concern is the invasion of privacy and the worry that these Neuromarketing practices will be taken too far in the future (I'm scared to think of the day when these Neuromarketing tests don't become "voluntary"). But for now, as long as people are participating voluntarily to let companies try to pick their brain and see which marketing techniques create a positive stimuli, it is their choice and it may actually lead to marketing strategies that do in fact benefit the consumer, and not just fill the pockets of big corporations. Check out my blog for more info on Neuromarketing!
ReplyDeleteNeuromarketing provides marketers with information on consumer preferences, so companies can create the exact products that consumers want, which in turn boosts their sales. Despite these benefits, there are also drawbacks to neuromarketing, particularly invasion of privacy. I agree with you that as long as the line between invasive and resourceful is not crossed, neuromarketing is a positive advancement in advertising. But what scares me is the fact that marketers can influence my purchase decisions without my knowledge and consent. I feel that marketers through their ads and product designs would easily target children the most for unhealthy products which can lead to negative consequences such as illnesses, obesity and addictions. I am very nervous about what the future holds and the extent to which neuromarketing can invade one’s privacy. Take a look at my blog for more information on neuromarketing.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is a very fine line between invasive and resourceful marketing. However,I believe that this advantage created by science in order to improve marketing research results is definitely the absolute basis for future marketing. I do not agree with the view that it is manipulating us as consumers, or that it is tricking people into certain behaviors. Check out my blog: Do I want companies figuring out exactly what I want??Oh YES I DO!! . Where I point out a comment from an article in neuromarketing which more or less summarizes my personal view on the topic: the purpose of neuromarketing is not to manipulate, it is to understand consumer's reactions and make decisions based on this. Furthermore, the neuromarkeing tests run on consumers are conducted with our own consent; no one would, or could run an fMRI on us unless we agreed to it.Thus, I don't think neuromarketing would represent an invasion of privacy.
ReplyDeleteHello Gida, I share with you many of your feelings. I think that marketing as a science could help companies to develop new products or to create better ways to deliver a service. Also marketing could be very useful for nonprofit organizations to encourage people to collaborate with them. I worked in Market Research Company for a year and I participated in many focus groups. In those sessions you can obtain a lot of precious information without exposure the people’s deepest beliefs. I think that neuromarketing could carry many privacy issues. Personally, I don’t want that a company knows what I’m thinking about a product, service, new store or about a possible candidate. I think that a limit is necessary. I agree that MRI studies could help doctors to solve medical problems but I completely disagree when it is used to navigate people’s minds.
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