• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, July 20, 2022

Smart-speaker advertising generates responses in the human brain that can help build deeper connections between brands and consumers, according to the latest study from Neuro-Insight.

The study, commissioned by Octave Audio, Say It Now and Xaxis, examined consumer engagement in a 30-60 second conversation with a voice assistant and compared brain responses with standard broadcast radio ads. Cognitive functions such as long-term memory, engagement, emotional intensity, approach/withdrawal and general attention were monitored.

Branded smart-speaker ads were found to drive a 25% increase in overall brain activity compared to branding in standard audio ads, which helps build stronger, more meaningful associations, according to the researchers.

Emotional response intensity to the smart-speaker ads was found to be 17% higher, on average, and memory-based responses 11% higher.

In addition, voicing a brand’s name back to a smart speaker was found to generate a 30% lift in overall levels of brain response compared to a standard ad, and hearing a smart speaker reply generated 24% higher levels of positive emotional response.

“The evidence is clear: when consumers have a conversation with a branded advert via a voice assistant this fires up their brain and they are more likely to respond positively,” summed up Charlie Cadbury, CEO of Say It Now, which develops voice apps and chatboxes. “Brands can use actionable audio adverts to harness smart speakers’ potential for creating emotional impact and forming meaningful connections with target audiences.”

Neuro-Insights’ previous studies have included one with Spotify that found that the active digital audio experience (allowing for personalization and interactivity) to be more impactful than the passive radio experience.