# Introduction to Neuromarketing

In this section, Marie introduces herself and discusses her preference for certain products. She is unaware of the psychological tactics used by companies to influence consumer behavior.

Marie's Perspective on Products

• Marie describes herself as a liberated woman who chooses products based on personal preference.

• She expresses her love for a particular skin cream, emphasizing the pleasurable sensation it provides when applied.

• Marie mentions her fondness for a burger restaurant and its enticing smell and ambiance.

• She talks about reserving train tickets through a travel agency that uses appealing images to evoke desires for vacations.

• Marie mentions switching banks and taking out a loan, feeling empowered by her ability to make financial decisions.

The Manipulation Behind Consumer Choices

• A voice challenges Marie's belief in being a liberated woman and reveals the deliberate tactics used by companies to manipulate consumer behavior.

• The voice explains how fast food smells are designed to elicit emotional reactions, travel pictures are chosen to arouse desires, bank slogans play on fears, and body creams spark desire through neuroscience techniques like neuromarketing.

# Exploring Neuromarketing Techniques

This section delves into the concept of neuromarketing and how it is employed by major brands to control consumer decision-making.

Understanding Neuromarketing

• Neuromarketing is introduced as a technique that aims to control consumers' brains without their knowledge. It combines neuroscience technology like MRI or electroencephalogram (EEG) with sales methods tailored to specific individuals.

• One marketing company agrees to reveal the secrets of major brands and their use of neuromarketing.

Studying Consumer Behavior in an Experimental Store

• An experimental store in Paris is showcased as a place where consumer behavior is studied. Volunteers are asked to pretend to shop, allowing researchers to observe their actions.

• Eric Sanglo, from a market study agency called BVA, tracks consumer reactions using an eye-tracking system that records eye movements with precision.

• The glasses worn by volunteers capture their gaze and help identify which elements trigger impulse purchases without conscious awareness.

# Unveiling Subconscious Influences on Buying Decisions

This section explores how the human brain works and how individuals make decisions based on subconscious influences.

Analyzing Brain Activity

• Researchers analyze brain activity to understand decision-making processes related to factors like spoon shape, color, or design that capture attention.

• Subtle and often subconscious emotions are detected through electromyographic impulses recorded by electrodes placed on the face and fingers. These emotions play a significant role in marketing strategies.

The Power of Subconscious Marketing

• The importance of the subconscious mind in marketing is emphasized through an advertisement for McDonald's new line of hamburgers that elicits strong emotional responses from viewers.

• A neuromarketing device called the electromyograph (EMG) is introduced as a tool used by companies like Nestle and L'Oreal to test their ads' effectiveness on subconscious levels. It captures millions of bits of information received by the brain during advertising exposure, provoking emotions unbeknownst to consumers.

# Understanding Manipulation in Marketing

This section explores the concept of manipulation in marketing and introduces a new neuromarketing device developed in France.

The Definition of Manipulation

• The term "manipulation" is defined as shrewd or devious management for one's own advantage without the subject's knowledge.

Introducing the Electromyograph (EMG)

• Olivier Drewler, a neuroscience researcher, presents the electromyograph (EMG) as the first neuromarketing device developed in France. Companies like Nestle and L'Oreal have already signed up to test their ads using this machine.

• The EMG measures subtle and discrete emotions by detecting electromyographic impulses in facial muscles, such as smiling muscles (zygomatic) and negative emotion indicators (corrugator).

Conclusion

Neuromarketing techniques are employed by major brands to manipulate consumer behavior on subconscious levels. Through eye-tracking systems, brain activity analysis, and devices like the electromyograph (EMG), companies can understand and influence consumers' decision-making processes without their conscious awareness. Understanding these tactics can help individuals make more informed choices in a highly persuasive marketing environment.

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In this section, Olivier Roules asks the lady at what point she felt more emotion after the test.

Lady's Emotional Response

• The lady mentions that there was a little emotion before, but the peak of her emotions came when she saw the pack shot, which is the image of the product. She became excited and experienced an emotional peak.

• Olivier Roules expresses surprise as he thought it would be more influenced by the character herself rather than the brand.

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This section discusses how our brains are influenced from an early age and presents an experiment conducted in a Parisian school to demonstrate this.

Experiment in a Parisian School

• A class of five-year-old children is shown pictures with words written underneath them. When they recognize a picture, they shout out its name.

• The experiment shows that children easily recognize brands like McDonald's and associate them with positive emotions.

• This demonstrates that branding has a significant impact on young children's preferences and choices.

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This section explores how McDonald's attracts young children through toys and their influence on family decisions.

Influence of Toys

• Children are attracted to McDonald's because of the toys included in their meals. They may not even eat much but enjoy playing with the toy.

• A confidential document reveals that 95% of families visit McDonald's because of their kids' influence.

• Toys act as a weapon of mass attraction for McDonald's, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty across generations.

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This section features an interview with Roy Bergold, the man who introduced toys to McDonald's and worked in world marketing for the company.

Interview with Roy Bergold

• Roy Bergold, former head of world marketing for McDonald's, explains the strategy behind targeting children. If children are attracted to McDonald's at a young age, they are likely to continue visiting as teenagers and adults, and eventually bring their own kids.

• The focus on children was a deliberate marketing decision made by Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's. He believed that investing in kids' marketing would yield long-term benefits.

• Toys and characters like Ronald McDonald were used to associate positive emotions with the brand from an early age.

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This section highlights how McDonald's uses marketing strategies to create top-of-mind awareness and drive sales.

Marketing Power of McDonald's

• By planting the idea of fast food and associating it with McDonald's through advertising, they create a strong association between hunger and choosing their brand.

• Top-of-mind awareness is crucial for attracting customers when they think about getting something fast to eat. Marketing plays a significant role in achieving this awareness.

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This section mentions a lawsuit filed against McDonald's for its marketing strategies.

Lawsuit Against Marketing Strategies

• A lawsuit has been filed against McDonald's for using certain marketing strategies aimed at children. No further details are provided in the transcript regarding this lawsuit or its outcome.

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This section discusses a legal dispute between Monet Param and McDonald's regarding the influence of marketing on children.

Monet Param's Concerns

• Monet Param has two young daughters and is concerned about McDonald's influencing kids through presents and toys.

• She believes that McDonald's uses these tactics to hook children as customers for life.

• Monet wants McDonald's to stop marketing to kids, as it normalizes unhealthy eating habits.

Growing Opposition

• Many Americans accuse McDonald's of taking advantage of children's vulnerability.

• The city of San Francisco has banned toys from being provided in Happy Meals, and New York legislators are considering a similar move.

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This section highlights a study conducted by a pediatrician at Stanford University, Dr. Tom Robinson, on the impact of marketing on children.

Study by Dr. Tom Robinson

• Dr. Tom Robinson conducted an experiment using French fries from McDonald's and plain unmarked boxes.

• He asked 60 children to try the fries without revealing which ones were from McDonald's.

• The majority of children preferred the fries they believed were from McDonald's, even though all the food was the same.

• This demonstrates how branding influences children's perception of taste.

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This section explores research conducted by Samuel McClure on the effects of branding on consumer preferences.

Research by Samuel McClure

• Samuel McClure used MRI scans to study brain activity in response to different brands.

• Customers were given Pepsi and Coke without knowing which brand they were drinking.

• When participants were told which brand they were consuming, their brain activity changed significantly.

• The prefrontal cortex was activated, biasing their perception of taste towards their preferred brand.

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This section discusses how brands like McDonald's can create addiction through early exposure and marketing tactics.

Brand Addiction

• Brands like McDonald's can make consumers addicted to their products by embedding themselves in their brains from a young age.

• The familiarity and preference for a brand developed at a young age can lead to lifelong loyalty.

• McDonald's continues to use various strategies to influence the public, including testing artificial flavors on customers' brains.

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This section reveals secret studies conducted by McDonald's on using customers' brain responses to test artificial flavors.

Secret Studies on Artificial Flavors

• McDonald's has conducted secret studies where customers were scanned using MRI machines to measure their emotional response to fragrances.

• These studies aim to understand how changing fragrances can impact brand perception.

• Successful tests have shown an increase in the brand perception index by 7%.

• The document detailing the study emphasizes that if the flavor manipulation is too obvious, rational thought may uncover the ploy, rendering it ineffective.

The Power of Smell in Marketing

This section discusses the impact of smell on consumer behavior and how companies use artificial perfumes to increase sales.

The Influence of Smell on Sales

• Procter & Gamble used an artificial perfume under the lid of their washing liquid brand, Ariel, which resulted in a 70% increase in sales.

Neuro Marketing and Manipulating Smells

• Martin Lindstrom, a successful neuro marketing consultant, explains that smell is the only sense that bypasses the rational part of our brains and goes straight to the emotional part. It can manipulate our emotions without us even realizing it.

• Even though we may be aware that a smell is being manipulated, it still affects us emotionally because it directly impacts the emotional part of our brain.

Ethical Concerns

• The video questions whether companies like McDonald's are respecting their ethical charters by using perfumes to manipulate consumers' brains and increase sales.

• McDonald's denies conducting any neuromarketing studies when asked directly but there is evidence suggesting otherwise. A company called Neuroscience conducted surveys on behalf of McDonald's using MRI machines.

The Reward Circuit in Our Brain

This section explores the reward circuit in our brain and how companies aim to activate it through neuro marketing techniques.

Understanding the Reward Circuit

• Gemma Calvert from Versus Research explains that their work focuses on ensuring products, advertisements, or smells have a positive impact on consumers' brains by activating the reward circuit.

• The nucleus accumbens, located deep in the limbic system, is a key part of the reward network in our brain. It contains dopamine neurons, which are associated with pleasure and reward.

• Activation of the reward circuit can be achieved through various pleasurable experiences, including looking at products or experiencing certain smells. This is why people are drawn to them.

The Future of Neuro Marketing

This section discusses the potential future implications of neuro marketing on consumer behavior.

The Power of Neuro Marketing

• Neuro marketing has the potential to influence our brains simply by walking into a shop. It can tempt us to make purchases without even realizing it.

• Companies like McDonald's have been involved in projects to choose perfumes that increase blood flow in parts of the brain associated with flavor and reward when paired with their imagery.

Confidentiality Agreements

• Researchers involved in neuro marketing studies often have confidentiality agreements, preventing them from discussing specific companies like McDonald's.

Researcher Insights on Neuro Marketing

This section features an interview with Charles Spence, a professor specializing in neuro marketing, who provides insights into his research for a burger chain (likely McDonald's).

Fragrance Selection Study

• Charles Spence conducted a project for a burger chain where they funded research to determine which fragrance would be most effective when paired with the chain's imagery. They looked for increased blood flow in brain regions associated with flavor and reward during scent testing.

• The majority of participants scanned were women typically with two children, aligning with one of McDonald's principal target demographics.

Due to confidentiality agreements, Charles Spence does not mention McDonald's explicitly during the interview but refers to it as "the burger chain."

# The Use of Neuro Marketing Techniques by McDonald's

This section discusses the use of neuro marketing techniques by McDonald's and the impact it has on consumer behavior.

McDonald's Testing Products with Neuromarketing Techniques

• McDonald's tests its products to see if they increase blood flow to the brain.

• Consumers are not given a fair chance to make independent choices due to heavy influence from neuromarketing campaigns.

• Multiple neuromarketing campaigns raise questions about consumer autonomy.

Interviewing McDonald's Representatives

• The interview takes place at a conference called "Let's Dare France."

• The head of McDonald's France and the executive vice president for McDonald's Europe are present.

• The interviewer asks about the use of neuro marketing techniques in the McDonald's group.

Denial and Confirmation of Neuro Marketing Use

• Initially, Mr. Jean-Pierre Petit, head of McDonald's France, denies using neuro marketing techniques.

• Evidence is presented regarding MRI scans conducted on mothers in the UK to test new odors for potential use in McDonald's outlets.

• Mr. Petit expresses doubt and requests proof.

Threats and Resuming the Interview

• After receiving a registered letter threatening legal action, France Television and the interviewer meet with Pierre Vocek, head of brand strategy in Europe for McDonald's.

• Vocek confirms that in 2006, they used a new system to find a scent that could solve an odor problem in one restaurant.

• Mothers were placed inside MRI machines with smells and brand images to see if they matched.

# Legal Threats and Further Confirmation

This section covers legal threats received after investigating McDonald's use of neuro marketing techniques and further confirmation from an interview with Pierre Vocek.

Legal Threats Received

• A registered letter is received from McDonald's stating that the information is false and threatening legal action if it is broadcasted.

Interview with Pierre Vocek

• McDonald's agrees to an interview after the legal threats.

• Pierre Vocek, head of brand strategy in Europe, confirms the use of neuro marketing techniques in 2006 to find a scent that matched the McDonald's brand.

• Mothers were placed inside MRI machines with smells and brand images to test their compatibility.

Study Notes

• McDonald's has used neuro marketing techniques to test products and influence consumer behavior.

• The company initially denies using these techniques but later confirms their use during interviews.

• MRI scans were conducted on mothers to test new odors for potential use in McDonald's outlets.

• Legal threats were received after investigating these practices, but an interview was eventually granted.

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This section discusses the use of odors in marketing and the challenges faced in implementing them.

Testing Odors in MRIs

• The use of odors in MRIs was intended to test their impact on consumers' perceptions.

• However, this approach was not successful as it required integrating the odors into air conditioning systems, which posed hygiene concerns.

• The attempt to place the odors in cleaning products instead also proved challenging due to formulation changes required by cleaning product companies.

Regrets and Ethical Concerns

• When asked about regrets regarding neuromarketing, the interviewee states that at the time, no one thought it was wrong or harmful.

• However, they acknowledge that today they would not use such techniques and find new marketing methods offensive.

• The interviewee admits that comparing a smell with a brand using MRI scans surprised them but did not raise significant ethical concerns at the time.

McDonald's Stance on Neuromarketing

• The interviewer asks if McDonald's will continue using neuromarketing techniques, to which the interviewee responds that as long as they are present, McDonald's will not employ these methods again.

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This section explores neurofocus and its association with renowned figures. It also highlights how companies employing neuromarketing techniques avoid interviews.

Neurofocus and Eric Kandel

• Neurofocus is associated with Eric Kandel, a Nobel laureate for medicine.

• This connection adds credibility to neurofocus' work in studying brain patterns related to consumer behavior.

Companies Avoiding Interviews

• Companies utilizing neuromarketing techniques are reluctant to give interviews due to ethical concerns surrounding these practices.

• Despite this reluctance, some consultants allow access to training sessions where these techniques are taught.

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This section delves into the unethical nature of neuromarketing techniques and their aim to manipulate consumer emotions and subconscious desires.

Unethical Nature of Neuromarketing

• Companies employing neuromarketing techniques secretly analyze brain patterns to exploit consumer emotions, urges, and subconscious.

• The objective is to push consumers to buy more, even though these techniques are considered ethically questionable.

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This section introduces a French consultant who combines neuroscience with sales techniques in his business called Sales Brain.

Sales Brain's Approach

• Sales Brain merges neuroscience and sales techniques without using MRI scans.

• They focus on understanding the reptilian brain, which triggers decisions, rather than the thinking portion of the brain.

• By targeting the reptilian brain's pain points and fears, they aim to incite buying behavior.

• A four-hour session with Sales Brain can convince businessmen of the effectiveness of these techniques.

Study Notes

• Odors were tested in MRIs but faced challenges due to hygiene concerns and formulation changes required by cleaning product companies. McDonald's no longer uses neuromarketing techniques. Neurofocus is associated with Eric Kandel. Companies employing neuromarketing avoid interviews due to ethical concerns. Neuromarketing aims to manipulate consumer emotions and subconscious desires. Sales Brain focuses on targeting the reptilian brain for effective sales techniques.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the potential manipulation involved in neuromarketing and the responsibility of consumers to understand how companies sell their products.

The Ethics of Neuromarketing

• The speaker acknowledges that there is a potential argument for manipulation in neuromarketing, but also recognizes that it drives our world.

• It is important for consumers to be aware of how companies sell their products and not solely rely on manipulation techniques.

• Decision-making methods should be public knowledge to avoid unethical practices.

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In this section, the speaker introduces the concept of targeting the reptile brain in marketing and emphasizes the importance of keeping consumers engaged.

Targeting the Reptile Brain

• The speaker mentions the concept of talking directly to our reptile brain to capture attention.

• Keeping consumers engaged is crucial in marketing strategies.

• A locket is used as an example to demonstrate how effective communication can captivate attention.

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In this section, Patrick Brownwozza's role as a neuromarketing advocate is highlighted.

Patrick Brownwozza's Role

• Patrick Brownwozza travels around the world spreading awareness about neuromarketing.

• He has been requested by big companies in France to give speeches on neuromarketing.

• The upcoming speech at a French company is not allowed to be recorded or discussed further.

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This section explores the confusion between manipulation and conviction when it comes to neuromarketing in France.

Manipulation vs Conviction

• In France, there is often confusion between manipulation and conviction regarding neuromarketing.

• The logic behind pushing propositions and influencing consumer perception is not always easy to follow.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of making clients understand that their glass is more than half full, rather than just saying it's not half empty.

New Section

This section reveals the secrecy surrounding a particular client and highlights the presence of neuromarketing in France.

Secrecy and Neuromarketing in France

• Patrick Ramboza refuses to disclose his client's identity.

• The presence of neuromarketing in France is considered somewhat taboo.

• A large number of salesmen are staying at a downtown hotel for a conference on neuromarketing.

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In this section, the focus shifts to the salesmen attending the conference and their role in selling financial products.

Salesmen and Financial Products

• The salesmen attending the conference work for Archaea, a subsidiary of Credit Mutual Bank.

• Their job involves selling financial products to companies, as well as public institutions like local communes or health authorities.

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This section explores the perspectives of salesmen who attended the conference on neuromarketing.

Insights from Salesmen

• Salesmen mention learning about how purchasing is linked to the subconscious mind.

• They emphasize the need to anticipate what consumers' brains truly desire without them being aware.

• There is acknowledgment that applying these techniques can be seen as manipulative but also effective for various products, including finance-related ones like insurance.

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This section delves into ethical concerns regarding neuromarketing and its potential manipulation of people's behavior.

Ethical Concerns

• The applications of neuromarketing can be contentious due to its potential for manipulation.

• The philosopher in France raises concerns about using neuroscience solely for commercial purposes.

• Manipulating the reptilian layers of the brain through neuromarketing is seen as worrying and potentially exploitative.

New Section

This section highlights the legal restrictions on marketing studies using MRI scans in France.

Legal Restrictions

• Marketing studies that involve MRI scans are banned by law in France.

• These laws aim to limit practices that can easily manipulate people's reactions and behaviors.

The transcript does not provide enough information beyond this point.

# The Impact of Advertising on the Brain

In this section, the speaker discusses the long-term effects of advertising on the brain and introduces their role as a market research consultant.

The Ultimate Client

• The speaker works for market research groups.

• Long-term functional changes occur in the brain before and after exposure to advertising.

• The ultimate client is not disclosed during the speech.

Clients of Arnold Petra

• Arnold Petra lists his clients as SFR, MAIF Insurance, Cartier, and SNCF (French Railways).

• French Railways' involvement with neuromarketing is explored further.

Neuromarketing Experiments by French Railways

• French Railways conducted experiments on customers' brains using MRI scans.

• The focus was on evaluating the ease or difficulty of using their online ticket sales site.

• Different versions of web pages were tested to activate the reward circuit in customers' brains.

Influence of Smell and Imagery

• Perfumes resembling pine trees were used to test reactions in the olfactory cortex of customers' brains.

• A background picture of a pine tree was included on one page to evoke associations with Christmas and make the offer more tangible.

Evolution of Online Ticket Sales

• Buying tickets from human ticket counters may soon be replaced by online transactions.

• SNCF sells over 60 million tickets annually through its website.

# SNCF: France's Leading Online Travel Agency

This section focuses on SNCF's expansion into becoming France's leading online travel agency and their use of neuromarketing techniques.

SNCF's Expansion Plans

• SNCF aims to become more than just a train service provider by offering additional services like airline tickets and car rentals through voyagesncf.com.

Study Conducted by SNCF Travel Agency

• SNCF conducted a study to understand customer preferences on their website.

• Different types of customers were surveyed, as travel.sncf.com is visited by approximately 80% of French internet users.

Use of Neuro Marketing Techniques

• SNCF admits to using some neuro marketing techniques in their study.

• The goal was to determine if customers' brains reacted positively or negatively to the website.

Controversy Surrounding Neuromarketing

• While evidence suggests that SNCF used neuromarketing techniques in Belgium, they claim not to use it extensively.

• The legality and taboo nature of neuromarketing in France are discussed.

Conclusion

The transcript provides insights into the long-term effects of advertising on the brain and highlights the use of neuromarketing techniques by French Railways (SNCF) and other companies. It also explores SNCF's expansion into becoming an online travel agency and their controversial use of neuro marketing techniques.

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The speaker discusses whether something is taboo or not.

Is it Taboo?

• The speaker questions if something is considered taboo.

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The speaker acknowledges the previous statement.

Acknowledgment

• The speaker responds with "okay".

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The speaker talks about a pledge for safety and consumer satisfaction.

Pledge for Safety and Satisfaction

• Neuromarketing experts are working on behalf of consumers to guarantee their safety and satisfaction.

• They aim to create a better world where hamburger chains make children happy, bankers soothe anxieties, and beauty creams evoke desire.

• No matter what the product is, consumers will be satisfied by simply opening their wallets.

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