Martin Lindstrom’s pioneering new work will revolutionise marketing, according to Philip Kotler; Gulf symposium tour starts in Dubai in April 

(Dubai, October 20 2008): The impact of subliminal advertising and the revolutionary influence of neuroscience in marketing will be the subjects of a Gulf-wide tour in 2009 by bestselling author and branding expert, Martin Lindstrom. 

The three-year study, which uses the latest brain scan technology to reveal radical findings into consumer behaviour, is the single biggest breakthrough in marketing in decades, according to global experts. The pioneering research will turn market research practices on their head, and refute most of what we thought we know about why people buy.

The Buyology Symposium, which will tour more than 50 countries in 18 months, will start its Gulf tour in Dubai on April 19, before moving through the other GCC countries later in the year. Lindstrom will appear live and in person at each event. International events organiser Global Leaders – which has offices in Dubai and Bahrain - has been awarded the exclusive contract for the Gulf countries as well as a number of African countries.

The research project cost US$7 million, and was conducted in association with a panel of leading scientists based in Oxford. Among the companies to take part in the research were: Apple; Coca-Cola; American Express; Ford; Louis Vuitton; Nike; Samsung; Sony; and Tiffany & Co.

The findings are predicted to revolutionise the advertising and marketing industries. According to the findings, the majority of the $600 billion global advertising spend is currently wasted, TV commercials are “dead in the water” and product placement is completely off-track. For the first time in history, the application of neuroscience and Lindstrom’s findings will accurately predict what budgets are wasted and what products will fail.

Lindstrom said: “The whole purpose of advertising has been to persuade people to buy – and to buy more. But most of the money invested in marketing has been wasted. We estimate that between 50 and 80 per cent of all advertising investment has been wasted. That percentage, without a change in practice, is set to grow along with the increasing amount of advertising clutter that clamours for our attention. 

“The role of neuromarketing in advertising is to figure out what works and what doesn’t, before the product is launched and millions spent on a campaign. Imagine a world in which the only advertising that exists was what worked, persuaded consumer choices and managed to be relevant and interesting. Advertising would take on a whole new role in society – one that was a welcome and harmonious part of our everyday lives rather than an annoyance.”

The introduction of neuroscience means that, for the first time, Lindstrom says he knows what products and campaigns will succeed, or fail.

“By the age of 65, consumers in the developed world will have seen, on average, two million adverts – the equivalent of watching eight hours of television, seven days a week, for six years,” he explained. “85 per cent of our behaviour is driven by our subconscious mind. 

“Your subconscious mind receives countless signals from marketers, but your conscious mind is not able to retain and process all of them. Buyology’s neuromarketing research has revealed how marketers should be working with consumers if they want us to remember their messages.”

The added value of neuromarketing is the insight it gives into the subconscious mind, and enabling marketers to predict the likely success or failure of a product far more accurately. 

Lindstrom added: “Currently, eight out of 10 products released are failing. Sensible research using neuromarketing can help avoid losses on products that are unlikely to be unsuccessful. By giving us an understanding of the subconscious mind at work, neuromarketing can examine how brands interact with consumers’ minds and, therefore, advise on how to build them for success.”

Professor Philip Kotler, the most respected marketing expert in the world, has said that Buyology supplies businesses with a deeper understanding of the largely unconscious forces that shape consumer reactions. He said: “One reading of this book and you will look at consumer and producer behaviour in an entirely new light.”

Tina Schneidermann, president of Global Leaders, confirmed that the first Buyology Symposium in the GCC would be in Dubai on April 19.

She said: “Martin has continued to revolutionise the way we view branding and marketing, and Buyology will literally turn the advertising industry on its head. He has made the connection between the art of marketing and the science of behaviour.

“Together, the application of science and sense is the most significant breakthrough in marketing in decades, and Martin will be sharing his findings in Dubai, the capital of the Gulf advertising world.”

The Buyology Symposium explores why everything we believe about why we buy is wrong. Packed with groundbreaking insights and intriguing data, the Buyology Symposium asks how we replace the broken tools to enhance the success of advertising and branding. 

This powerful event explores what Martin Lindstrom and his global team of scientists have learned from the world’s largest ever NeuroMarketing study. It holds revelations about the advertising of tomorrow, the future of TV commercials, and product placement revelations.

The Buyology Symposium will run in more than 50 countries worldwide during 2008 and 2009. The first event in the Gulf will be in Dubai on April 19 2009, with more details available at www.globalleadersevents.com or www.martinlindstrom.com