Gender and Age Related Effects While Watching TV Advertisements: An EEG Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Marketing Science
• Consumer Psychology

Background:

• Understanding consumer responses to advertising is crucial for effective marketing.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) measures brain activity, offering insights into subconscious reactions.
• Frontal cortical asymmetry is linked to approach and withdrawal behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between EEG frontal cortical asymmetry and the perceived appreciation of TV advertisements.
• To examine the influence of gender on the perception of a car advertisement.
• To assess the impact of age on the perception of a chewing gum commercial.

Main Methods:

• Experiment 1: Measured EEG frontal cortical asymmetry in men and women during a car advertisement.
• Experiment 2: Measured EEG frontal cortical asymmetry in different age groups during a chewing gum commercial.
• Statistical analysis was used to determine significant differences in approach values based on gender and age.

Main Results:

• Men exhibited significantly higher approach values during the car advertisement compared to women.
• Older adults showed significantly lower approach values for the chewing gum commercial, particularly during scenes they disliked.
• No significant differences in product-related scenes indicated a lack of product-specific bias in the study populations.

Conclusions:

• EEG frontal cortical asymmetry can predict general appreciation of TV advertisements.
• Gender and age are significant factors influencing ad perception, affecting approach-related responses.
• Advertising creativity is vital for engaging target demographics effectively, as demonstrated by varying responses to different ad content.