Neuromarketing aims to delve into the mind of the consumer. The objective of this research is to determine the reliability and precision of neuromarketing to carry out campaigns and assess emotions. Methodologically, Gazerecorder is used, which allows knowing the eye movements when viewing images. Real billboards are analyzed following a group of variables. It is concluded that the novelty is the main element of attention when viewing advertisements, not the color, and that there is a bias between the elements that attract attention valued a priori and those actually taken into account when evaluating an advertisement.
https://revistes.uab.cat/grafica/article/view/v11-n22-fondevila-gutierrez-vidal-pujol
The experiment carried out confirms that, often, when an individual focuses attention on some visual element of an advertisement, they are not aware of why they do it or if they previously knew that such a factor could attract their attention. In the professional advertising and marketing field, one of the most considered factors when attracting consumer attention is the contrast of shapes and colors.
We observe predictable factors and others of a more rational nature and not so linked to emotions and feelings. The experiment shows a more rational activation of novelty, contrast, and repetition, while colors and volume are more emotional. In fact, awareness of one’s own tastes, what attracts attention (Fondevila-Gascón et al., 2020) and what ends up being acquired is not entirely clear, and changes are recognized about preconceived ideas.
The use of technological tools (like GazeRecorder) to try to monitor attention and emotion factors helps to find out the public’s response to certain stimuli. Heat maps are illustrative of conscious consumers both of their ad hoc decisions and of the future if instead of online images they were real products or services at a point of sale.
We confirm that the sense of sight leads attention and conditions the decision, although other senses also collaborate with it. It could thus capture from another perspective the satisfaction of consumer needs (Martínez López, 2017). The analysis of stimuli and images is a task that is clearly revealed as technology transfer, given that the business sector (communication, audiovisual media, advertising and marketing, especially) can obtain a high return. In fact, most activities of the Broadband Society (Fondevila-Gascón, 2013) result in the exchange of goods, so the usefulness of studies of this type is indisputable.
As limitations, in addition to a moderate, non-probabilistic and intentional sample, the COVID-19 pandemic conditioned the realization of the experiment at the same time and scenario, which can alter the results obtained. As a possible line of future research with an alternative approach, the experiment could be developed by previously forming the sample on the meaning of each element and the ways of applying it within branding, which could modify the relational results between attention elements and real decisions. It could thus capture from another perspective the satisfaction of consumer needs.