• by James Siciliano , Op-Ed Contributor, Yesterday

We live in anxious times.

From climate change and economic instability to digital overload and rising distrust in institutions, today’s audiences aren’t just distracted—they're emotionally saturated. Yet many marketers continue to rely on outdated assumptions: that reach equals resonance, or that a high click-through rate means a message connected.

It doesn’t.

And in this climate, brands can’t afford to guess.

The Emotional Attention Gap

Traditional KPIs—reach, frequency, Impressions—measure exposure, not engagement. And in an attention economy where consumers are bombarded with up to 10,000 messages per day, cutting through requires more than visibility. It requires understanding how people actually feel—not just what they say.

We're seeing a needed shift: from optimizing for impressions to optimizing for emotional connection.

That shift calls for deeper insights than surveys or focus groups can provide. It calls for tapping into the subconscious.

Biometrics as a Strategic Compass

Biometric tools such as facial coding, EEG, eye-tracking, and galvanic skin response (GSR) allow us to detect subconscious reactions in real time. This is not science fiction—it’s strategic intelligence.

In my work with biometric analysis, I’ve seen how emotionally intelligent strategies perform better when paired with A/B testing that captures emotional response—not just reported preference. The ad that gets the most nods in a survey doesn’t always generate the strongest neural or physiological engagement.

This insight is especially critical when planning media in emotionally charged or culturally sensitive environments.

Creative and Media Must Work Together

As a longtime advocate of media and creative working in sync, I believe one of the biggest missed opportunities in our industry is the outdated wall between the two. Emotionally intelligent planning begins not with media silos, but with cross-disciplinary collaboration—where creative direction is informed by media context and emotional data from the very start.

Too often, creative is finalized before media is even consulted. But when media strategists and creative teams collaborate early—guided by biometric insight and contextual relevance—the result is messaging that lands with both impact and authenticity.

What Emotionally Intelligent Planning Looks Like

An evolved strategy should include:

• Pre-testing creative with biometric analysis before launch

• Mapping placements to emotionally compatible content environments

• Replacing vanity metrics with attention, retention, and emotional resonance

• Aligning placements with lifestyle relevance and brand affinity

• Pairing biometric insight with AI-driven scenario planning

This is not about abandoning performance—it’s about enhancing it through human understanding.

Empathy Drives Results

The brands that thrive in anxious times won’t be the loudest—they’ll be the most emotionally attuned.

Biometric analysis, when paired with AI and cross-functional planning, provides more than just data—it offers a roadmap for empathetic connection in an oversaturated world.

We don’t just need smarter plans.

We need more human ones.