International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories, Vol. 4, No.

2, 2014, Special issue on Marketing and

Business Development, e-ISSN 2247–7225
www.ijept.org

The Use of Neuromarketing in the Study of Brand Related Mental Processes.

Case Study – Romanian Food Brands
by
Dragoș Cîrneci, Alin Valentin Angheluță, Delia Gheorghe
Synergon Consulting, Romania
Faculty of Marketing, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Synergon Consulting, Romania
[email protected], [email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract. The aim of our study was to see if there is a correlation between declared consumption of a food product and the
activation of specific brain regions measured with fMRI when consumers are presented images with package of their
preferred product. The study included 50 participants divided into approximately equal age groups and sex categories. We
found that hemodynamic changes in the precuneus area of the brain were found to be positively correlated with whether or
not participants consumed a certain brand, suggesting the brand triggered personal relevance. Also we found that there was a
significant association between cerebral activations in the caudate nucleus and participants’ responses on the consumption
questionnaire, proving the brand’s capacity to generate emotions. Our study is consistent with data indicating striatum
activation as a brain correlate for consumption and/or preference. In addition, activation found in precuneus is a confirmation
of the involvement of this brain area in the recollection and processing of self-relevant information and can be used for
evaluating the personal relevance of a commercial, or other marketing-related stimuli. Neuromarketing tools demonstrate
that can provide critical inputs to marketers and decision makers.

Key words: brand, consuming preference, food package, neuromarketing

JEL Classification: D12, M31

1 Introduction stored in long-term memory? Is an ad processed

attentionally? Questions such as 'which one of
Hatched in the late 1990s by Gerald Zaltman of two TV ads is more emotionally
Harvard University, the pioneering field of engaging/memorable/attention grabbing?' are
“neuromarketing” attempts to decipher what best addressed through fMRI.
pushes customers’ purchasing decisions by Brain activation is not under direct conscious
placing volunteers in MRI tubes or covering control, so the risks of meta-cognitive biases
their heads with electrodes. Neuromarketing that plague questionnaires are not present with
tools give insights not only into what that this methodology. What extra brings
person is thinking, but more importantly, into neuromarketing tools? They offer the hidden
how they’re reacting to a specific product or answers for the question “Why people like
advertising — subconsciously. Researchers something?”.
show products, ads, and other marketing Schimtt (2012) proposed a comprehensive
materials to participants, and then study the framework on the psychology of brands. The
lines on the EEG - electroencephalography or model distinguishes three levels of consumer
watch brain blood flow patterns on MRI engagement towards brands (object-centered,
images. Activation is reflected by blood oxygen self-centered and social) and five processes
level dependence and is normally represented involved by brands (identifying, experiencing,
by colouring the activated brain region on a integrating, signifying and connecting).
model of the brain. fMRI - functional magnetic Plassmann, Ramsoy & Milosavljevic (2012)
resonance imaging, can provide answers to developed a framework with four stages
three questions that are absolutely crucial to required in order to form brand preference over
advertising: does a specific ad evoke an time, and reviewed previous findings on the
emotional reaction? Are elements from the ad underlying neuropsychological processes of

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each of those components: (1) representation reduced brain activity in the dorsolateral
and attention, (2) predicted value, (3) prefrontal cortex / inferior frontal gyrus, and
experienced value, and (4) remembered value visual cortex (cunues / precuneus) is triggered.
and learning. Schaefer et al (2006) suggest the activity
Farb (2013) suggests there are several brain changes in the median frontal gyrus correlate
networks that seem to be critical to decision with familiar vs. unfamiliar brands. Unfamiliar
making and evaluation of value: the reward brand logos vs strong brands induce activity in
network, the emotional motivational network, changes the inferior frontal gyrus, in the
the executive network and also additional hippocampus and lingual gyrus. Strong vs weak
networks. brands induce activity changes in the
Solnais et al. (2013) identified the key brain dorsolateral prefrontal cortex / median frontal
mechanisms of interests for consumer research gyrus.
that can be studied through neuromarketing Kenning, Plassman and Ahlert (2007) research
tools: decision-making, rewards processing, indicated activity in the striatum correlates with
motivation, emotional processing, attention and brand loyalty to retail brands.
memory. Also, they’ve reviewed literature Hammou, Galib & Melloul (2013) suggest that
regarding the potential relevance of certain graphic images resulted from the application of
brain regions for consumer research, given the neuromarketing techniques are analysed in
role they play in different cognitive and order to identify how the brain appointed the
emotional functions. areas for attention, emotion, memory and
Santos et al (2012) stimulated participants to a personal implications.
study with logos of brands and asked them to Previous academic studies have indicated that
assess them, having as a result activations in the specific areas of the brain are activated during
medial frontal pole, the paracingulate gyrus, the specific types of cognitive and emotional
frontal orbital cortex, the frontal medial cortex, processing. Here is an overview of the brain’s
and in the hippocampus, suggesting brands play structures involved in the perception of
a social role. As regards the processing of pleasant, desirable stimuli. This summarization
brands, familiar brands were shown to activate encompasses multiple studies involving various
the hippocampus, which can be interpreted as categories of stimuli, assumed to entail
the use of memory for consumers to recall their rewarding characteristics.
experience with the brand. 1) The ventral tegmental area (VTA) which is
Attractive packages were associated with part of the midbrain is activated when
significant activations in brain regions involved perceiving any type of pleasant stimulus
in the processing of visual stimuli and attention ranging from food, chocolate and sexual
(the occipital lobe and precuneus), compared stimuli to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, money
with unattractive packages (Stoll et al., 2008). or music. (Holstege et al., 2003; after
Reimann et al (2010) found out that aesthetic Portner, 2008).
packages significantly increase the reaction 2) The basolateral amygdala responds to all
time of consumers' choice responses; aesthetic types of rewarding stimuli: seeing a favorite
packages were chosen over products with well- dish (Baxter and Murray, 2002; Arana,
known brands in standardized packages, despite Parkinson, Hinton, et al., 2003), a pleasant
higher prices; and they resulted in increased smell (Rolls, 1998), drug administration
activation in the nucleus accumbens and the (Nestler and Malenka, 2004), a smoker
ventromedial prefrontal cortex. seeing a pack of cigarettes (Cîrneci,
Deppe et al. (2005) study suggests that when Preoteasa, Constantinescu, et al., 2012),
people choose between their favourite brand receiving money (Knutson, Fong, Adams, et
and other brands, there is an increased brain al., 2001), listening a pleasant music
activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a (Leknes and Tracey, 2008), aesthetic

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judgments (Ishizu and Zeki, 2013), young plasticity of dopaminergic neurons (Sakurai,
men evaluating sports cars (Erk, Spitzer, 2007).
Wunderlich, et al., 2002), or sexual stimuli 4) The ventral striatum – nucleus accumbens
(especially the left amygdala that is shell (specifically the rostromedial area), the
particularly active in men) (Hamann, ventral part of the caudate nucleus (the
Herman, Nolan and Wallen, 2004). The medial posterior area) and the putamen –
basolateral amygdala responds to more than respond to the occurrence of all types of
just reward perception, but to the stimuli reward: seeing food (Arana, Parkinson,
that predict the occurrence of a reward as Hinton, et al., 2003), the taste of a favorite
well (Dreher, Schmidt, Kohn, et al., 2007). dish (Small, Zatorre, Dagher, et al., 2001;
Furthermore, some studies suggest that the Pecina and Berridge, 2005), sexual stimuli
amygdala becomes more active in (Hamann, Herman, Nolan and Wallen,
correlation with the intensity of a stimulus 2004; Sabatinelli, Versace, Costa, et al.,
and not with its valence (Caldu and Dreher, 2006), during orgasm (Holstege et al., 2003,
2007). This argument is confirmed by after Portner, 2008), exposure to romantic
imaging data demonstrating that activity in scenes (Sabatinelli, Versace, Costa, et al.,
this region decreases once reward satiety is 2006), taking cocaine (Ito and Hayen,
reached (Dreher, Schmidt, Kohn, et al., 2011), alcohol (Blum, Sheridan, Wood,
2007). Stimuli that have been previously R.C., et al., 1996), a smoker seeing a pack
associated with a reward activate the of cigarettes (Cîrneci, Preoteasa,
pathway that links the amygdala to the Constantinescu, et al., 2012), seeing a
nucleus accumbens. This determines the desired product (Knutson, Rick, Wimmer, et
amygdala to stimulate the vagus nerve that al., 2007), gambling addicts seeing a
elicits an autonomous response which roulette (Nestler and Malenka, 2004), or
accompanies the motivation to approach young men looking at sport cars (Erk,
that reward (Bechara, 2005). Spitzer, Wunderlich, et al., 2002). A strong
3) The lateral hypothalamus and the lateral activation of this region is a direct indicator
septal area respond to all stimulations of the subsequent behavior to approach the
generating pleasure, such when smokers see triggering stimulus (Knutson, Rick,
a pack of cigarettes (Cirneci, Preoteasa, Wimmer, et al., 2007). This area is
Constantinescu, et al., 2012) but also when connected to the VTA that sends
are involved more abstract sensations such dopaminergic inputs in this direction
as those elicited by music (Berridge, 2003; (Cardinal, Parkinson, Hall, and Everitt,
Leknes and Tracey, 2008). Additionally, it 2002). There are pathways that link the
reacts (through the nuclei located in the basal processing of a positive emotion
medial preoptic area) to pheromones, thus occurring in the accumbens with the
influencing sexual response (O’Doherty, affective cortical systems, by means of only
Winston, Critchley, et al., 2003). Orexin a few synapses, thus generating the
neurons (based on orexin-A and orexin-B sensation of pleasure (Berridge, 2003).
neuropeptides) originate in the lateral Through one of these pathways, neurons
hypothalamus and project toward the VTA from the shell of the nucleus accumbens
and the nucleus accumbens, thus activating send projections to the ventral pallidum (to
dopaminergic neurons. Furthermore, the its medial area in particular), which in turn
activation of orexin neurons is linked to the projects toward the thalamus (mediodorsal
occurrence or reward-related stimuli (food nucleus). Finally, this latter structure
or drugs). As a result, they are implicated in activates the prefrontal cortex, involved in
motivational processes and influence the affective reactions associated with
awareness (Berridge, 2003; Plassmann,

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O`Doherty, Shiv and Rangel, 2008). The 1995). Additionally, the right superior
mediodorsal thalamic nuclei also send frontal gyrus is involved in aesthetic
projections to the insular cortex that judgments (Ishizu and Zeki, 2013).
processes taste sensations, as well as other 8) The posterior cingulate (BA - Brodmann
affective and cognitive processes. This is area 31) and the retrosplenial cortex (BA 29,
one of the pathways through which the 30) are involved in evaluating the emotional
hedonic activation induced by the nucleus significance of a reward (Small, Zatorre,
accumbens influences feelings of pleasure Dagher, et al., 2001). Additionally, the
generated by the “limbic” regions of the former becomes active when smokers see a
neocortex (Berridge, 2003). pack of cigarettes (Cîrneci, Preoteasa,
5) The ventral pallidum and the parabrachial Constantinescu, et al., 2012).
nucleus in the brainstem are involved in the 9) The medial insular cortex responds to
perception of the sweet taste and sexual stimuli such as pleasant taste (Rolls, 1998;
stimuli. The former structure receives Small, Zatorre, Dagher, et al., 2001) or a
dopaminergic inputs through the pleasant touch, in conjunction with the
mesolimbic system and it is closely related somatosensory cortex (Rolls, 1998), during
to the nucleus accumbens (Berridge, 2003). female orgasm (Holstege et al., 2003, after
6) The dorsal striatum become active when Portner, 2008) and when making an
receiving money and when tasting sweets aesthetic judgement (Ishizu and Zeki, 2013).
(Leknes and Tracey, 2008). Among these 10) The ventromedial prefrontal (BA 11, 12)
structures, the left globus pallidus and the and the left lateral cortex (BA 47) play a
right putamen are involved in aesthetic role in learning reward expectation
judgments (Ishizu and Zeki, 2013). associated with a stimulus (Rushworth,
Additionally, the head of the caudate Behrens, Rudebeck and Walton, 2007;
nucleus activates when smokers see a pack Wolters and Raffone, 2008). They become
of cigarettes (Cîrneci, Preoteasa, active when perceiving any kind of
Constantinescu, et al., 2012). rewarding stimuli that may be natural or
7) The anterior cingulate cortex (the rostral and conditional, concrete or abstract. The
ventral area or the medial frontal gyrus) also ventromedial area is activated when seeing
responds to rewards such as: money sexual stimuli (Adolphs, 2003), and activity
(Knutson, Fong, Bennett, et al., 2003), decreases in the lateral region during female
packs of cigarettes in the case of smokers orgasm (Holstege et al., 2003, after Portner,
(Cîrneci, Preoteasa, Constantinescu, et al., 2008). Additionally, the ventromedial area
2012), sexual stimuli portrayed in erotic elicits an increase in activity when reading
couples (Bartels and Zeki, 2000; Sabatinelli the name of our favorite food in the menu
et al., 2006), romantic scenes between (Arana, Parkinson, Hinton, et al., 2003),
partners (Sabatinelli, Versace, Costa, et al., when processing pleasant smells, the taste
2006), nudity (Brothers, 1995), or sport cars and texture of food (Rolls, 1998; Small,
(Erk, Spitzer, Wunderlich, et al., 2002). Zatorre, Dagher, et al., 2001), eating
Furthermore, activity in this area is chocolate (Leknes and Tracey, 2008),
decreased by cocaine (Kaufman, Ross, Stein pleasant touches (Rolls, 1998), cocaine and
and Garavan, 2002) and alcohol alcohol consumption (Volkow and Fowler,
consumption (Riddenrinkhof, de Vlugt, 2000), receiving money (Elliott, Newman,
Bramlage, et al., 2002). The function of this Longe and Deakin, 2003), having success
region relates to the conscious evaluation of when playing a video game (Bartels and
the affective significance of stimuli and Zeki, 2000), listening pleasant music
experiences (Amodio and Frith, 2006), and (O’Doherty, Winston, Critchley, et al.,
its stimulation generates euphoria (Brothers, 2003), receiving verbal approval

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(O’Doherty, Winston, Critchley, et al., None of the subjects had any psychiatric or
2003), when young men evaluate sport cars neurologic history, and they were all native
(Erk, Spitzer, Wunderlich, et al., 2002), Romanian speakers. Participation in the study
listening jokes (Goel and Dolan, 2001) and was rewarded with payment.
making aesthetic judgments (Ishizu and 2.2 Stimuli and Procedure
Zeki, 2013). When receiving a sum of
money, activation is localized in the more Prior to testing, participants were asked to fill in
anterior area, as opposed to the situation a form which decided whether or not they met
when gustative, olfactory, tactile or the inclusion criteria. Subsequently to this
somatosensory sensations are processed selection, they were invited to come and
(Kringelbach, 2005). undergo fMRI scanning. Each participant gave
written informed consent before the experiment
2 Methods and Design began. They were informed that participation is
optional and that they retain the right to
The aim of our study was to see if there is a withdraw participation at any time.
correlation between consumption of a food The blood oxygenation level-dependent
product declared by the consumers and the (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging
activation of specific brain regions measured (fMRI) machine was a Siemens Magnetom
with fMRI when consumers are presented Avanto 1.5 Tesla. During scanning, participants
images with package of their preferred product. viewed images on a screen, which was
positioned in front of the MRI machine. They
2.1 Participants were able to see the screen, while lying
horizontally with their heads inside the scanner,
The study included 50 participants divided into by using the optical helmet of the MRI. The
approximately equal age groups and fairly screen was a white 1.2*2 cardboard display
balanced sex categories (see Figure 1). The age onto which the images were projected from an
ranges, i.e., 25-34, 35-44, 45-55, involved 36%, electromagnetically isolated projector, which in
34% and 30% of participants respectively, turn, was connected to a computer in the
whereby 48% were men and 52% were women. adjacent room that was displaying the target
Furthermore, participants were divided into 8 images.
categories according to income. Subjects were instructed with regards to the
fMRI procedure and the experimental design,
Table 1: Demographics table and were asked to lie in the machine whilst
receiving assistance from medical personnel.
Age Male Female
Instructions lasted approximately 10 minutes.
25 – 34 years 9 9
Subsequently, a radiologist scanned the
35 – 44 years 8 9 participant. In the fMRI scanner, participants
45 – 54 years 7 8 were presented with images of the selected
product (wrapped, in its package) from each
All participants met the inclusion criteria of the studied brand, i.e., Agricola, Aldis, Caroli and
study, which was previously established based Transavia (see Figure 2).
on a questionnaire. More precisely, none of the Each image was preceded by a fixation point
participants were involved, in terms of located in the middle of the screen, which
remunerated work, in the food industry, and established the baseline condition. Furthermore,
they were older than 25 and younger than 55. In images of products were presented in a
addition, they ate meat, and chicken, in sequence of 4 series, according to the 4 brands,
particular, on a regular basis. Finally, they were adhering to the following order: Agricola,
familiar with computers and had used a Aldis, Caroli, Transavia. In each of the 4
computer in the past month prior to the study.

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conditions, the same selected image, of the participants’ brains, which suggests their
same brand, was shown 3 times, for 30 seconds potential impact on the consumer.
each (see Figure 3). Nonetheless, only Aldis consumers portrayed a
The experiment lasted for approximately 25 genuine brand effect, by displaying an
minutes. association between consumer preferences and
After scanning, all subjects filled in a cerebral activations, whereas the remaining
questionnaire, indicating the products which products (which were less prefered than Aldis
they consumed regularly. in terms of consumption) did not display a clear
effect upon the brain.

Figure 2: Stimuli

Figure 3: Example of Series 2

Figure 4: Total number of activities across all studied
3 Results products

Brain activations were established using Based on the results from the consumption
Neuro3D Software systems from Siemens, questionnaire, among the 4 studied products,
against an activation map comprising of t-Test Aldis was habitually consumed by 62% of the
images with significance levels set at α < .05. participants, and was consequently ranked first.
Results subsequently indicated the presence or This product was followed by Agricola (54%),
absence of hemodynamic chances, which were Transavia (46%) and Caroli (38%). These
quantified as binary data. Statistical analysis findings agree with the statistical correlations
was directed toward identifying the associations that establish an association between what
between what participants consumed in a brand participants generally prefer to buy and
habitual fashion and the brain activations cerebral activations in key areas.
depicted by the fMRI machine, within the Statistical analysis found a significant
cerebral regions of interest (ROI) namely correlation between consumption of Aldis
ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior products and cerebral activations in areas
cingulate cortex, ventral striatum, amygdala, responsible with processing emotion and
VTA, retrosplenial cortex, and posterior personal relevance, respectively. More
cingulate/precuneus. specifically, hemodynamic changes in the
Consequently, the degree of pleasure and precuneus were found to be positively
relevance generated by the images was assessed correlated with whether or not participants
as an objective measure of participants’ consumed Aldis products, χ (1) = 5.53, p < .05,
attitudes. Correlations were established based thus suggesting the personal relevance triggered
on the Chi-square Test. Significance levels were by this product (see Figure 5). Furthermore,
set at <.05, two-tailed. there was a significant association between
In terms of total activations accross all studies cerebral activations in the caudate nucleus and
brain areas, there were no significant participants’ responses on the consumption
differences between products (see Figure 4). All questionnaire, χ (1) = 5.20, p < .05, which
products elicited hemodynamic changes in

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associates the Aldis product with its capacity to neuroimaging experiments. As we mentioned in
generate emotion (see Figure 6). the Introduction, the ventral striatum including
the ventral part of the caudate nucleus respond
to the occurrence of all types of reward.
A strong activation of this region when seeing
food images is a direct indicator of the
subsequent behavior to approach the stimulus.
Findings of Delgado, Stenger and Fiez (2004)
suggest that changes in motivation are capable
of modulating basal ganglia activity, and further
support an important role for the caudate
nucleus in affective processing. Being able to
Figure 5: Brain activation in the precuneus (marked with estimate the reward value of visual objects is a
a white circle) crucial factor in guiding ones behavioral
choices and studies have shown that the
involvement of the caudate nucleus in decision
making is context-dependent, reward related
information being processed in the head of the
caudate primarily when the information is
relevant to one’s goal.
Imaging and neural-recording studies have
revealed that the dorsal striatum plays an
important role also in learning such stimulus-
action-reward associations and a correlation
Figure 6: Brain activation in the caudate nucleus with reward-prediction error was found largely
(marked with a white circle) in the caudate nucleus (Haruno and Kawato,
2006), while studies on monkeys shown that
4 Discussion inactivation of caudate subregions disrupted the
high-low value discrimination selectively in the
Our study has found a significant correlation flexible or stable context (Kim and Hikosaka,
between consumption of Aldis products and 2013). Also clinical studies revealed that
cerebral activations in areas responsible with subjects with major depression present
processing emotion such as head of the caudate significantly weaker responses to monetary
nucleus part of the ventral striatum. Hence, gains in the caudate nucleus and anhedonic
specific products triggered activations in the symptoms and depression severity were
brain areas for emotion only for consumers of associated with reduced caudate volume
those specific products and this effect was bilaterally (Pizzagalli, Holmes Dillon, et al.,
absent for non-consumers. So the fMRI was 2009).
able to make the distinction between real All these data support the hypothesis that
consumers of a product and those who don’t caudate nucleus as part of the striatum is a key
consume that particular product. structure in reward based behavior, linking the
These results are congruent with our previous evaluation of the reward value of a stimulus,
studies showing that specific brain areas are with decision making processes and the
activated only in smokers when seeing cigarette consequently approach behavior. The activation
packages and not in ex-smokers (Cîrneci, of this brain structure in our study at the
Preoteasa, Constantinescu, et al., 2012). The presentation of certain food package proved to
human striatum has been shown to process be a reliable predictor of the consumption habits
reward information, differentiating between of the participants. Many studies have shown
rewards and punishments in recent

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that striatal activity correlates with hedonic glucose compared to the hemispheric average
rating scales. Neuromarketers have been quick (Parvizi, Van Hoesen, Buckwalter and
to invert this finding and use ventral striatal Damasio, 2006). Studies have shown that the
activity as an indication that an individual likes brain encompasses a network that links the
something. frontal areas to the precuneus which processes
Because the field of neuromarketing grew out self-referential information (Mantini, Perrucci,
of early brain-imaging studies of the Del Gratta, et al., 2007). Vegetative states
neurobiology of reward most of the (coma) cause 50-60% reduction of metabolism,
neuromarketing data are about valuation particularly in thr precuneus (Tononi and Koch,
mechanisms and the associated responses of 2008). Moreover, epileptic episodes which
dopamine-rich brain regions. The striatum have determine loss of consciousness, generate
been consistently implicated in goal-directed decreased activity in the precuneus (Tononi and
action (Ariely and Berns, 2010). Our study is Koch, 2008), while recovery from the
consistent with these data indicating striatum vegetative state reestablishes the connection
activation as a brain correlate for consumption between the thalamus and this area (Alkire,
and/or preference. Hudetz and Tononi, 2008).
Our study has found a significant correlation So many authors proposed that this brain area
between consumption of Aldis products and constitutes one of the key regions of
cerebral activations in areas responsible with consciousness or what psychologists called Self.
processing personal salience such as precuneus, One of their strongest arguments comes from
which is part of the posterior medial part of the the study of autobiographical memory. It
parietal lobe. It is interesting that this brain generally accepted that consciously recalled
region usually is not subject to neuromarketing episodic memories are reactivated by the
studies. hippocampus and from here data is projected
So how relevant is our data for neuromerketing through the thalamus to the intraparietal region
specialists? In order to explain this first we need including the precuneus and from here,
to see the role of this region within the brain information is directed toward the frontal
networks involved in processing personal cortex, as we have mentioned above
relevance. It is known that the medial frontal (Ranganath, Johnson and D’Esposito, 2000;
cortex participates in processing representations Henson, Rugg, Shallice and Dolan, 2000). In
that imply autobiographic episodic memories the famous Coke–Pepsi study, participants who
with emotional charge (Gusnard, Akbudak, described themselves as Coke drinkers showed
Shulman and Raichle, 2001) and do this through significant activation in the hippocampus when
its connections with the medial parietal area and they were cued about the upcoming drink of
the precuneus (BA 31 and 7), structures that are Coke while self-described Pepsi drinkers did
also involved in updating episodic memories not have this response (McClure, Li, Tomlin, et
with emotional valence (Lou, Luber, Crupain, et al., 2004).
al., 2004). PET and fMRI studies came to the And in their review about the use of
conclusion that remembering the past and neuromarketing in business, Ariely and Berns
imagining the future are both processes (2010) observed that the ability to recall
associated with activity in the so-called core narrative content of the Tv sitcom Curb Your
neural system encompassing: also the precuneus Enthusiasm three weeks later was correlated
(Schacter, Addis and Buckner, 2007). with the strength of hippocampal responses
The medial posterior cortex is the brain area during viewing. And, as we mentioned,
with the highest metabolic activity and the precuneus is part of the same network with
highest activation rate during resting state hippocampus. Studies have demonstrated that
(Gusnard and Raichle, 2001). In this state, the precuneus has an important role also in source
medial posterior cortex consumes 40% more memory, i.e., for reconstructing the context in

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which the initial encoding of an event took consumption of Aldis products and cerebral
place (Cavanna and Trimble, 2006). activations in areas responsible with processing
It is interesting that intraparietal area including emotion and personal relevance, respectively.
precuneus is anatomically connected with More specifically, hemodynamic changes in the
caudate nucleus and these neuronal connections precuneus were found to be positively
form a network involved in action planning correlated with whether or not participants
(Parvizi, Van Hoesen, Buckwalter and consumed Aldis products, and additional we
Damasio, 2006). Within this network, a process found a significant association between cerebral
of continual internal rehearsal and simulation of activations in the caudate nucleus and
behavioral sequences takes place, aiming participants’ responses on the consumption
toward their optimization. This occurs questionnaire which associates the Aldis
concomitantly with evaluations of rewards and product with its capacity to generate emotion.
punishments associated with the behavioral We can conclude that if we take
outcomes (Gusnard, Gusnard, Akbudak, neuromarketing as the examination of the neural
Shulman and Raichle, 2001; Gusnard and activities that underlie the daily activities
Raichle, 2001; Fox, Snyder, Vincent, et al., related to people, products and marketing, this
2005). Finding in our study a significant could be the most useful and interesting bridge
correlation between the most consumed food between academic research and practical
brand and the activations in precuneus observed applications into business, providing critical
with fMRI when subjects viewed the logo and inputs to marketers and decision makers.
package image of their preferred product is a All these data will be used to develop a novel
confirmation of the involvement of this brain marketing tool able to assess the unconscious
area in the recollection and processing of self- attitude towards a product or brand and also the
relevant information. Hence this brain region impact a product/brand has on consumer’s
can be targeted in marketing studies when we memory. This marketing tool will be able to
want to see if a product is part of the make on-line evaluations and will measure the
consumers’ life history. It can be also relevant implicit associations made in the consumer’s
when probing if a certain product designed to be brain relative to a brand/product. The
seen as part of the consumer’s traditions and life correlations between imagistic and declarative
style is fulfilling its purpose. data collected in this study provided us a
scientifically tested base of knowledge useful in
5 Conclusions designing this new marketing tool which has the
objective of measuring unconscious reactions
Neuromarketing tools give insights not only triggered inside the brain of a consumer by
into what that person is thinking, but more various marketing stimuli like logos, packages
importantly, into how they’re reacting to a or advertisements.
specific product or advertising —
subconsciously. Previous academic studies have Acknowledgements
indicated that specific areas of the brain are This study was funded by Sectoral Operational
activated during specific types of cognitive and Programme “Increase of Economic
emotional processing. Competitiveness” of European Fund for
The aim of our study was to see if there is a Regional Development and by Synergon
correlation between consumption of a food Consulting SRL within the project entitled:
product declared by the consumers and the “Increasing competitiveness and productivity of
activation of specific brain regions measured SC Synergon Consulting SRL through the
with fMRI when consumers are presented diversification of the product offer from food
images with package of their preferred product. industry and for the implementation of an
We found a significant correlation between

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Business Development, e-ISSN 2247–7225
www.ijept.org

innovative technology for testing consumers’ asupra creierului fumătorilor şi ex-fumătorilor investigat
decision”. prin RMN funcţional. Psihiatru.ro, Year VIII, No. 28
(1/2012):18-27.

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