• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Monday, June 4, 2007 10:33 AM

A new spot for Ocean Spray's diet cranberry juice that features two cranberry growers and a group of women who are exercising was heavily influenced by Lisa Haverty, who has a Ph.D. in cognitive science from Carnegie Mellon University. Haverty suggested that the women work out rather than party to reinforce the diet message; she also went against conventional ad wisdom by advising that the characters wait a bit before mentioning the new product.
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More firms are adding scientists to the creative process--at least on a trial basis--marking a big departure from how Madison Avenue typically works.

About two years ago, PHD, a media-buying firm owned by Omnicom Group, added a new "neuroplanning" software program, created with the help of fMRI brain scans and neuroscience, to help it decide which media to use for ad campaigns. And Crispin Porter + Bogusky, has a consulting arrangement with a cognitive anthropologist who frequently helps on new ad campaigns.

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