Stephen Colbert
said it best: "We are a divided nation. Not between Democrats and Republicans, or conservatives and liberals, or tops and bottoms. No, we are divided between those who think with their head, and those who know with their heart."
How do we know if advertising is effective? Do monkeys get you hyped up about motor oil or do leaping lizards make you thirsty for a sports drink? To find out if an ad works, we can ask people what they think with their heads, or we can measure what they know with their hearts (and sweat glands, and muscles, and lungs).
Traditionally, the gold standard measure for Super Bowl ads has been the USA Today Ad Meter. The Ad Meter uses dial polling, where audiences watch ads and turn a dial to indicate moment-to-moment how much they like or dislike an ad. Of course, with that dial in your hand, there's no room for beer and buffalo wings.
Innerscope Research, an innovative media research firm founded by Harvard Medical School and MIT scientists, has taken a new approach to measuring ad effectiveness by measuring viewers' biological reactions to what they see on screen. By outfitting participants with lightweight biometric vests which measure physiological responses like breathing, heart rate, sweat and skin conductance. The vests even let researchers know when you're leaning forward in your chair. In an attempt to make viewing as natural as possible, participants watch the game on plush couches and are fed with standard football fare (even beer). In real-time, researchers measure the intensity of physiological responses as well as the consistency of those responses across participants. One person might be too busy with the nacho dip to notice, but if the rest of the group is leaning forward in their chairs, the ad has struck a significant chord.
More information is always better, and if a company's going to shell out three million bucks for thirty seconds, they should want to know that their ad has made an emotional as well as a cognitive impact. From 2008 rankings, Innerscope found that their biometric research methods outperformed the USA Today's dial test Ad Meter in predicting online buzz, comments, and downloads. This year, the Ad Meter rated the Doritos crystal ball ad as the most effective. Innerscope chose CareerBuilder's it's time to change your job ad. PC World has recently reported that in terms of internet viewing this week, CareerBuilder's ad has led the Super Bowl ad pack with over 3 million online downloads while the Dorito's ad comes in a close second.
"Your unconscious emotions reveal what your conscious thoughts cannot...the benefit of biometrics is that we can identify how people truly feel'' said Dr. Carl Marci, CEO and co-founder of Innerscope Research. I know that's true...I can feel it in my gut.
High Fidelity-style, here is Innerscope's list of Top 5 ads from the 2009 Super Bowl:
1. CareerBuilder.com - It's Time (Hate your job? Punch a koala.)
2. Cash4Gold - Heeere's Money (Hammer pants = hard cash)
3. Castrol Oil - Monkeys (It's good to be the king...but get your lips off me you damn, dirty ape!)
4. GoDaddy.com - Shower (Cleanliness has never been so dirty)
5. Bud Light - Meeting (Can't have a budget without the Bud)
See all of the Super Bowl XLIII ads at Hulu.com
Which ads were studs and which were duds? Comment below! Email correspondence to jareddefifept@gmail.com
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