It’s All A Matter of Brain Chemistry.

People say they aren’t susceptible to advertising – and that “branding” doesn’t work on them. The folks at McDonalds would beg to differ.  And so would I. 

Did you know that after years of conditioning – you no longer need to actually eat at McDonalds, or experience anything that gives you pleasure to actually get the rewards of those pleasures in your brain.  Check out this except from a recent article on the blog at “Psychology Today” (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201108/7-things-mcdonald-s-knows-about-your-brain)

The brain's reward chemical is dopamine, a molecule that's released when you experience something you enjoy.  However, one of the brilliant aspects of the brain is its ability to learn and make predictions about the world based on past experiences.  When the brain learns that a certain cue is associated with a reward, dopamine neurons learn to fire whenever the cue appears, even before the reward is given.   Dopamine does more than simply reward you; it also motivates you to seek the pleasure again.  As soon as you see the cue, your brain begins to anticipate the reward.  The anticipation is part of the pleasure.

In simple language it would appear from this study, that in fact you actually don’t need to experience a pleasurable product or service in order to get the rush that comes from filling that desire.  Perhaps this is why people become shopaholics, or addicted to junk food.

From an advertising standpoint, I would say this study suggests that people do not really need to be having an experience to get the rush of having it. They just need to have had the experience once before – then the mere suggestion of that experience sets the brain a workin”!

Seems to me, this also suggests radio ads that paint a picture, that give the listener a virtual experience are also going to have the same effect.  And it sheds new light on something that Roy Williams from the Wizard Academy says; “no one will do something they have not imagined themselves doing”.

So what does all this mean to your radio ads.  Story ads, that make people feel what it’s like to experience your product or service, or clearly demonstrate a problem and a solution will have a powerful impact on the listener.  Want proof – just think for a second about the sinful pleasure of chowing down on some McDonalds fries.  It would appear that mere thought is enough to get your brain’s chemistry working…and may be all it takes to get you to a McDonalds to satisfy that craving. 

You know as I think about – this is probably why all I have to do is have someone mention they went out for Chinese food, or smell it --- and I want it….very badly! 

So you can say that advertising and branding do not work – but your brain and it’s magical chemistry seem to disagree with that assertion.  Just a little food for thought.  (And yes – I know that is a terrible attempt at humour!)

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiogabe/3983082644/">StudioGabe // Gabriel Li</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>