I have been using SIX, an emotional fitness app for the last three months. It’s a consumer-facing app from the neuro measurement company, Immersion. It tracks my raw heart rate through a wearable device, second-by-second. Then, based on decades of scientific research, it translates my heart rate into two scores. One of value: what everyday experiences my brain finds valuable. One of safety – how comfortable and resilient I feel during those experiences. It sends me alerts when I hit a key moment, which is a standout period when my value scores are high enough for a long period of time. Key moments signify neurologically meaningful experiences. My oxytocin and dopamine are high and my cortisol is low. Colloquially speaking, I am in a ‘flow state’.
Marketers and advertisers yearn to catch consumers in that state when attention is undivided and strong. That’s when consumers are immersed in a feeling of deep trust. They are emotionally connected. As a result, they are more likely to be drawn to advertising that matches their mood and state of mind.
Identifying those moments that are neurologically valuable to audiences and pushing advertising to people in a contextually relevant way is easier said than done. Would you like to know when my key moments typically pop up? Like many, I am a busy, working mom. My key moments are typically when my head is in the dishwasher and I am finding calm in placing plates in the narrow slots allotted by our under-sink model. Another typical moment of zen is when my son and I are finally dressed in layers and we are walking out to go to school – shoes, gloves, hats, bags, everything is checked and good to go. I also got one the other day when I was counting door numbers while looking for a doctor’s address.
What do these experiences suggest? I am not marketable because I am not receptive to video, digital, search or out of home advertising in the moments when I actually find some solace? Not exactly. I actually spend a lot of time with a variety of media. The key moments show just how immersive of an experience my human brain needs to be fully present, pay attention and make a purchasing decision.
So, the question for marketers is this: How can we tell compelling stories and create immersive experiences that captivate our audiences and generate key moments? How can we earn our audiences’ trust in 30 seconds or less, so they feel connected to brands? Creative professionals, brand gurus and media experts deploy numerous strategies and tactics for each case. Quality creative, strong strategy, media reach and frequency – not to mention budget – all play their own part. All of this effort is to catch that moment of complete mind silence and focus – and then to tell a story that influences the customer to make a purchase.
Next time you’re at the drawing board to draft a message, put together a plan or to evaluate advertising measurement, ask yourself: What is the customer feeling? What is their mood? What daily experiences are they having that may affect the way they perceive and receive your brand message. Are you delivering enough value to cut through the noise and propel people into action? If nothing else works, put your head in your dishwasher to catch that key moment.
Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.
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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.org/MyersBizNet.