NEWS24 September 2010

Eight firms to take part in ARF neuroscience validation study

North America Technology

US— The Advertising Research Foundation is about to put the science behind neuromarketing research on trial.

Innerscope, Mindlab International, Neurosense and Sands Research are among eight companies who have agreed to submit their work for peer review.

The ARF says neurological and biometric research methods have become popular in media and marketing research but “no major validation studies have been conducted to properly assess neuroscience as it applies to media and advertising response”.

ARF project lead Duane Varan said: “Validation helps ensure that [biometric and neuro research] are used appropriately in terms of methods, interpretation, applications and their ethical considerations. This is a ground-breaking project which we are excited to support.”

Varan is chief research officer for The Disney Media and Advertising Lab, as well as director of the Interactive Television Research Institute and executive director of Murdoch University, Australia.

The project has signed up a number of major sponsors including General Motors, Hershey’s, American Express, MillerCoors, ESPN and MTV.

During the neurotrial study, comparisons will be drawn across research methods with the intention of identifying emerging consensus and moving towards establishing standards for biometric research.

The project will be launched officially at next week’s ARF NeuroStandards Advertising Week event in New York.