Neuromarketing Not So Hot, Yet...

People just don't get it when it comes to neuroscience. I don't understand why. You can talk all day about studies that show humans don't make rational purchasing decisions, and people will say "hmmm, that's interesting." They never think it applies to them and it never causes them to question their own decisions in any way.

Although i can understand how neuromarketing could be used, (if marketing professionals can ever get their heads out of the consumer and status obbsessed cloud), it is not a good thing surley. Why should anyone bother to urge it forward? Is their not already enough comsumerism encouraged? Why push it? The people who are dissapointed should leave thier arguments be. Why give knowledge of such to a multinational corporation? Have you really got anything to gain? Would any amout of money account for the fact you helped brainwash millions into buying a burger? It is an unnessesary part of society which is designed to make people feel like they are lacking something personally, and if they are it can all be fixed with whatever product. I urge you, it needs no encouragement.

That the Neuromarketing 2004 was cancelled is really a pitty. As an active researcher in neuroeconomics I know that the persons listed above are really excellent researchers and speakers...

However - for me it is really hard to sse, why there is so low attention on this reserach area in the US. Taking into consideration, what kind of influence just the few results of our german reserach team on the economic practice here in germany have had - espicially in marketing....

Nevertheless I wish you the best for the next conference in autum 2004. Perhaps we will see us before on the 2nd Conference on Neuroeeocnomics? For details see: www.connecs.org

Regads Peter

Christine,
I think you are only seeing one side of the equation. Yes neuromarketing raises ethical issues, but it is no different than anything done now, it is just on a more focused and intense scale. But on the flip side, it is a way to maximize customer happiness by targeting the message, and isn't that what we are ultimately after?

Rob,
It's nice that you can rationalize putrid, manipulative advertising techniques to make yourself feel better, but what if the customer doesn't want to deal with this kind of thing, period? Advertisements just make me feel depressed. Do you honestly think that whichever company has the ability to spend the most on the best advertisers, has the product that will make the customer happiest? How many products are useless wastes of third-world labor, gimmickry, and bright, shiny packaging with commercials and advertisements to impart a feeling to the item that is so sorely lacking? Sad, sad world we live in..

-Becky

I agree that neuromarketing is a fascinating concept and seems to be the wave of the future. As such, I'm considering a career change to get on the leading edge of this technology. This would require a return to school for me. Can anyone tell me whether this would be more the focus of neuroscience or applied (marketing) psychology and whether you know of academic programs that are starting to focus on this? I'd like to approach it from the neuroscience side, but I don't want to end up doing 4 years of PhD. work followed by the usual 5 or 6 year post doc in neuroscience, before hitting the jack pot.

Thanks for your feedback.

Tracked on March 7, 2004 08:35 PM