Looking beyond traditional measures of advertising impact: Using neuroscientific methods to evaluate social marketing messages

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of neuroscientific methods to elicit more objective information compared to the traditional research methods, there is little research on the impact of social marketing and public service messages, using a combination of qualitative and neuroscience research methods. This paper compares the overall impact of an anti-binge-drinking campaign using focus group discussions and experimental Electroencephalography (EEG), a neuroscientific research tool. We find many similarities and differences in the results from these two methods. We also identify specific time and message points when attention and memorization processes occur, by combining two analytical tools for the EEG data - Global Field Power (GFP) and standardized Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (sLORETA). These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of content, style and composition of public service and social marketing messages. We discuss the managerial implications of our findings for social marketers and public policy makers and future research directions.