Just as other networks have done, A&E Television Network has also entered the world of neurological examinations of TV viewing -- looking into viewers' subconscious. And it has yielded some interesting results.
Starting with a deal it made for "Intervention," A&E now looks to broaden its arrangement with NeuroFocus, which builds and operates stand-alone neurological testing laboratories for a wide range of clients in the U.S. and abroad.
"Understanding the effects that program content has on viewers' response to advertising -- and to an extent, vice versa -- is a persistent question that everyone wants answered, definitively," stated Mel Berning, executive vice president of advertising sales for AETN.
The results from the A&E show were clear: Advertising in "Intervention" ranked as more effective in generating viewers' emotional engagement in each of six advertising categories, compared to the identical advertising that ran in a drama from another network.
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"Conventional research methods are hard-pressed to get at the heart of that issue," said Berning. "Neurological testing, on the other hand, delved right to the source -- the subconscious -- and delivered the answers."
NeuroFocus measurements are made using sophisticated sensors that capture brainwave activity at 2,000 times a second. According to the companies, neurological testing can evaluate the effectiveness of everything from brands, products, packaging, advertising, the in-store environment and entertainment content.
From now on I'm watching TV with my sunglasses on.