fMRI, Neuron Data Validated

Brain scans using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) don't always get a lot of respect. They have been accused of being used to produce research that is colorful but not particularly insightful. One study used fMRI to find…

American Idol, Neuromarketing-Style

Fox Broadcasting's secret weapon is out in the open: neuromarketing. The media firm has announced the extension of its two-year partnership with Innerscope Research, Inc. In order to assist Fox advertisers, the partnership with…

College Branding in an Open Source Era

At this year's South by Southwest Interactive, I had a chance to speak with Anya Kamenetz, author of DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. In her short but insightful book, Kamenetz outlines…

Shopper Marketing

Book Review: Shopper Marketing - How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale, Edited by Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila From a neuromarketing standpoint, the point of sale is a potent place to make a branding impression.…

Neurons That Fire Together Wire Together

One of the key factors in the human brain's ability to change via neuroplasticity is that neurons form interconnections based on simultaneous firing over a period of time. According to Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes…

Balancing Luxury, Tiffany Style

Luxury brands face a difficult challenge: they must be exclusive, and usually expensive, to maintain their elite status. At the same time, a brand that has extremely limited distribution may not be able to acquire or maintain the…

The Brain That Changes Itself

Book Review: The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge For centuries, the human brain was considered largely immutable after childhood. We were told that we had…

Directional Audio

While many forms of advertising employ sound as part of their sensory mix, one intriguing approach provides a way to surprise listeners with what seems to be a personal auditory experience. One fascinating example is the billboard…

A Better Brain in Four Days

We'd all like to think better, but few of us have the time or desire to, say, spend years in a Tibetan monastery learning to meditate. Past studies have shown that such extended training can indeed improve cognitive functioning.…