Consumers Lie. Why Neuromarketing Works Better Than Focus Groups

Posted by Andrew on September 10, 2007

An article in Advertising Age examines neuromarketing to see if it’s really what proponents claim it is. The core of the story focuses on A.K. Pradeep, who promotes neuromarketing over focus groups because in focus groups, consumers don’t always tell the truth.

Amid the many vagaries of marketing research, one thing is clear: Consumers lie. About what they want. About what they need. Sometimes they do it purposely. Most often they simply don’t seem to realize what they’re doing at all. Mr. Pradeep and his peers in the field of neuromarketing say they have the solution.

I frequently see internet marketers asking people in public forums what they want in a new product. That may not be the best way to find new product ideas. I’m guessing that most of you don’t have neuroscience equipment to measure brain activity, so the best alternative is to focus less on what consumers say, and more on the data of what actually sells.