"How Neuromarketers Tapped the Voter Button in Your Brain..."

[OneGrassRoot]

There are a multitude of reasons the Republicans regained control of Congress in Tuesday’s elections--unemployment, voter discontent, tea party-ism. But the one influential factor you aren't likely to hear about is the use of political neuromarketing during the campaign.

During the 2008 presidential election, neuromarketers went public with research showing how political ads can drive emotional triggers in our unconscious brains. By reading the responses taken from people linked to fMRI or EEG machines, neuromarketers and their clients aim to optimize stimuli (political messages) and reaction in consumers’ brains and drive their (voting) decisions.

But with public trust in elected officials at an all-time low, politicians today won't talk about anything that even vaguely associates them with Orwellian "mind manipulation." But are they doing it? While most everyone agrees that neuromarketing was used in the 2010 midterm elections, none of the politicians we spoke to admitted to using the techniques in their own campaigns.

Darryl Howard, a consultant to two Republican winners on November 2, says he crafted neuromarketing-based messages for TV, direct mail and speeches for Senate, Congressional and Gubernatorial clients in 2010. “We measure everything including the storyline, level of the language, images, music. Using critical point analysis, we identify specifics that may drive voters away or attract them," he says. The techniques are non-invasive, and include measuring muscle, skin, and pupil response. "We prefer our methods over some EEG/fMRI methods because our approach is quicker and more importantly can be done in the script phase, saving production time and money and tells us the level of honesty of the ad.”

http://www.fastcompany.com/1699985/politicians-using-neuromarketing-in-ads-to-win-votes?partner=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company+Headlines%29

[nenagh]

1. Thank you OneGrassRoot..

This is most important because we have to understand what makes their message is so successful.. many thanks...

I am bookmarking..

[OneGrassRoot]

2. You are most welcome. :) n/t

[nenagh]

4. This is something I am so interested in..

Because I thought years ago I read that Lynne Cheney attended some conference on how the brain works.. tho that sounds so crazy.. I am trying to understand how the Right is so successful with their message.

Rachel Maddow spoke about the 'total awareness environment' of the Right wing media just a few min ago..

But this is very scary..

[OneGrassRoot]

5. I don't doubt anything...

That's true, Rachel mentioned that. Maybe we should email this to her?

It IS scary. :(

[nenagh]

9. I emailed Rachel this morning.... Many thanks for posting this :)

[Liberal Gramma]

3. This confirms one of my theories

that people who vote against their own interests are not using high-functioning reasoning but the intuitive reptile brain.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. Seems so. :( n/t

[JeffersonChick]

7. Thom Hartmann book

Thom Hartmann's book Cracking the Code addresses this very issue.

After having read this excellent book, I now cringe every time I hear anything come out of Gingrich's mouth.

[nenagh]

8. Thank you I'll look it up

[JeffersonChick]

10. Also George Lakoff

I forgot to mention, George Lakoff has a couple of books out about the brain differences between conservatives and liberals.

[yurbud]

11. yep, when right wingers hear ''dueling banjos'' they are hypnotized.