Neural correlates of the emotional and symbolic content of brands: A neuroimaging study

Abstract

Brands are believed to embody emotional, socially relevant and self-related content. In this experiment functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to explore the neural correlates of brands' perception. A common network of brain areas involved in the assessment of brands was found, and brain structures that activated significantly more with positive brands than indifferent ones. The participation of the emotional system was remarkable: every brand was felt in order to be assessed; however only preferred brands activated brain regions supposed to be emotional inducers. There were also activations in the paracingulate gyrus and temporo-parietal junction, brain regions believed to be involved in Theory of Mind. Once more, brands rated as positive elicited activations in the ventral medial frontal pole, which may be attributed to self-relatedness and to the role of brands in self-construal.