• by John Capone , December 9, 2009

Microsoft and Mediabrands' Initiative today released research seeking to get into consumers' heads -- pretty literally. Beyond the typical survey data of self-reported responses, the study used biosensory measures to get at cognitive and emotional responses to advertising on Xbox LIVE and :30 and :60 second video spots.

EmSense, a neuroscience and marketing research company, conducted the study on behalf of Microsoft and Initiative, using campaign materials from two Initiative clients -- Hyundai and Kia Motors. Test subjects in a lab setting were exposed to various media and advertising campaigns from the companies while wearing a special sensor-laden headset -- the so-called EmBand, that tracks such vital signs as brain activity, breathing rate, head motion, heart rate, blink rate, and skin temperature.

The subjects were also given traditional surveys to fill out.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the results from the study showed that the subjects became more engaged with interactive billboards on Xbox LIVE leading to branded landing pages full of interactive content and videos than they did when shown a :30 TV spot for Hyundai and a :60 in-theater spot for Kia Motors America.

The interactive components of the Xbox LIVE materials enabled an additional 238 seconds of engagement beyond the traditional video ad. As a result, the Xbox LIVE ads delivered 90 percent unaided brand recall, compared with 78 percent unaided brand recall rates for the in-theater spot. In addition, the Xbox LIVE ads delivered higher levels of both cognitive and emotional responses, according to EmSense.

The EmBand data shows a 53 percent lift in positive emotional response to images of the Kia Soul after exposure to the Xbox LIVE content.

"We know from our standard performance metrics that our Xbox LIVE campaign is effective," said Michael Hayes, executive vice president, managing director of digital, Initiative. "What's compelling about this research is that we now know that consumers are making an emotional connection with Kia Motors America as well."

The researchers say the study holds enormous potential for the industry, because it allows for an apples-to-apples comparison of campaigns across distinct media types. "For years, marketers have been tracking what people say through survey data. They can measure what people do with behavioral metrics. This study adds what they think and feel with biosensory data," says Ginny Musante, trade marketing group manager, Microsoft Advertising. "But what's more important to the industry is the fact that we were able to combine all three in the same study using the same methodology, so we were able to compare impact across media."