Contrary to conventional wisdom, messaging that is absorbed subconsciously while listening non-consciously is capable of creating brand associations that last long after the advertising itself is forgotten. While this low attention processing might not be ideal for communicating a complex message, it is effective in reinforcing and strengthening existing brand associations while having a powerful influence on brand perception and selection. Dr. Robert Heath has written extensively about the importance of the subconscious and non-conscious listening in brand selection and his most recent book, Seducing the Subconscious: The Psychology of Emotional Influence in Advertising, is largely devoted to this topic.
With as much as 98% of what enters our ears being absorbed non-consciously, it is understandable that our relationship with sound had become under-appreciated. As a result of enhanced neuroscience technology, we’re now learning that the conscious mind is just the tip of our mental iceberg with the subconscious mind representing the immense lower portion that is hidden from sight. This is an appropriate analogy, as “subconscious” by its very definition implies that it’s virtually impossible for us to access, express or even describe it.
advertisement
advertisement
Mindshare, the global media network, along with neuromarketing company Neurensics and a Dutch radio station, recently provided unique insights on how people absorb radio commercial messaging. In the unprecedented study, 25 subjects and 32 different radio commercials were tested using state-of-the-art fMRI technology. The participants were told that they were taking part in a study about language proficiency and were asked to perform several tasks. One task was only slightly distracting while the other was more difficult, requiring more cognitive resources that relegated their radio listening to background status. Here are the findings:
The recent Mindshare study is a solid first step in understanding the true impact of audio, and provides a new lens for how it might be utilized more effectively. The Mindshare results also suggests that what Erwin Ephron once wrote is accurate: “In addition to conscious awareness (listening), radio is the poster child for low involvement awareness (hearing). This combination gives Radio the most complete attentiveness package of any medium.”