Neuromarketing - Brand Influence on Brain

Brand Image - How important is it for any company? In a study presented at the Radiological Society of North America, it was shown that when people were presented with known brand images they processed those images with the part of brain associated with positive thinking. Whereas, unfamiliar brands were processed by the negative thinking brain.
According to Dr. Christine Born, M.D., radiologist at University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, this is the first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to analyze how a brain responds to branding. In the study, twenty male and female subjects were shown images of familiar and unfamiliar brands while brain activity was monitored by fMRI scanning. The findings of the study were as below:
The results showed that strong brands activated a network of cortical areas and areas involved in positive emotional processing and associated with self-identification and rewards. The activation pattern was independent of the category of the product or the service being offered. Furthermore, strong brands were processed with less effort on the part of the brain. Weak brands showed higher levels of activation in areas of working memory and negative emotional response.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-11/rson-msb112106.php
This clearly shows that how important branding is for people and as further advancements are made in branding studies in Neuromarketing, we will be able to make more effective branding strategies.
by Ashish Kanungo