Applied Neuroscience: Using EEG, Eye-tracking, and the NeedSphere Framework to Increase Communication Efficiency Based on Implicit Customer Needs—A Real World Validation

The application of neuroscientific methods such as electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to predict consumer behavior and test communication effectiveness in business environments, so-called neuromarketing, has been well documented in recent years. The same holds for the application of psychological and/or neuroscientific models of decision-making to fuel the creative process when creating and targeting communication materials. Investigations on how to combine these two approaches and empirical validations in real-world use cases are still sparse, however. In this chapter, we describe how to use neuroscience methodology and predictive modeling to increase the effectiveness of monthly email campaigns for a well-known consumer goods brand. An implicit psychological online test was used at a large scale to collect data on target groups’ implicit needs, using the NeedSphere framework, alongside socio-demographic data. Running cluster analyses, three distinct target groups with characteristic NeedSphere profiles were identified. Socio-demographic data from the study was used to build a predictive model to estimate NeedSphere profiles from customer data available to the brand management. Parallel to that, the existing email templates were being analyzed using EEG and eye-tracking to optimize the email structure for processing flow and usability. Imagery and email texts were then adjusted to target the specific NeedSphere-based customer groups, resulting in four different email templates altogether: one for every NeedSphere type, plus one standard template without need-based communication. The neuro-optimized communication approach was piloted on over 26.000 customers over the course of roughly four months. Approximately half of the customers received the standard email every month, while the other half received the targeted communication. Conversion rate, as well as turnover rate, were being tracked continuously and increased significantly for the neuro-optimized communication, which translated into a 27.1 % revenue increase per email sent out compared to non-optimized control mails.