The Same Ice Cream

There is a world beyond what we see. Especially, when what we see is controlled by other beings. Development is happening in all the fields known to man. The same is the case with the field of psychology, neurology and, what may seem as a non-related field, marketing. Marketers are increasingly calling psychologists for help. Psychologists are studying the response of human beings to various things, i.e. stimuli, with help of neurologists and neurological equipments. One finding of this effort, which has given marketers one more tool to do their business, is the discovery of mirror neurons and its behavioral implications. A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires up both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting. Such neurons have been directly observed in primates, humans and other species including birds. In humans, brain activity consistent with that of mirror neurons has been found. More recently Christian Keysers and colleagues have shown that, in both humans and monkeys, the mirror system also responds to the sound of actions.

A study involving macaques (year 1992), a type of monkey, had given a hint long ago to scientists that something like mirror neurons exists in humans also. The researchers did some experiments and found out that the monkeys had a tendency to repeat some particular actions being done by the researchers. The following photographs depict such experiments.

 

Did you notice that when someone talks to you very slowly or whispers something to you, you also lower your voice or start whispering while speaking to that person? Do you have any explanation for why you imitate when someone whispers?  Why is it that when a child watches another child having ice cream, he also wants the same kind of ice cream? Did you ever notice that when we go to a place with a certain accent prevalent in language, we tend to use the same accent after some time? It was scientifically found that the culprit for such actions in humans was mirror neurons. Some scientists say that it may be a method of learning employed by the brain while others say this may be a method of connecting to other beings of same or different species. Both the arguments are supported by evidences. It is a method of learning in the sense we learn by observing and trying to do the same thing. Also, it may be one of the methods employed by the brain to make it more acceptable in a group. These findings are being effectively used by marketers.

To take this finding further, it was found that when we see something happening to somebody, our neurons which would fire up when we would do that thing ourselves, fire up. That is, just by listening to someone’s experience or by seeing someone do something, our brain tends to experience it virtually. This fact is being used by marketers unknowingly from a very long period. The simplest example would be of the mannequins which are at an apparel store. When a woman sees a mannequin with a set of clothing looking so beautiful and attractive, the woman’s brain tells her that she would look the same if she wears those cloths. Her brain loses the rational thinking about her own body structure. It is overridden by the emotions caused by the mirror neurons. Thus, when she buys that same pair of clothing she is not only buying the cloths but also she is buying that image. That is the reason marketers always want to associate their brand with some relevant attractive image.

The concept is being consciously used in the industry now-a-days. Observe the following videos:

They are iPod advertisements. The peculiar feature of these advertisements is the thing which is highlighted in it. The colour of the headphones: White. Before this, all the headphones were in dark colours. This is one of the ads which tried to use the mirror neurons concept in its marketing. The moment we see the white, posh “things” falling down from the ears of people, going into their pockets, our mirror neurons light up and we experience what we think, they must be experiencing: in this advertisement they are having enjoying the music in such a fashion that they are not concerned about anything else. The result: astounding sales of iPods.

The advertisements where “envy” is used to create a sense of achievement in potential customers is one example of mirror neurons concept being used in marketing. It is very effective as a marketing tool if we assume that people do same things to connect to other people as humans are social beings.

There are numerous examples of application of this concept in marketing and that too which are successful. From the above examples, we see that marketing is no longer a trial and error phenomenon now. It is as scientific and with explanations as any hardcore science e.g. physics. With such interdisciplinary applications of concepts and findings, we are definitely looking towards more sophisticated efforts for making us buy. So, next time you want to have something which your friend or colleague or neighbor just bought, or you just happen to repeat a dance step being done by one of your friends, you can blame it on the mirror neurons.


Kushal Lokhande
Marque
IIM Rohtak