Consumer’s Perception Journey: Examining the Psychophysiological Antecedents and Effects of Multisensory Imagery Strategy: An Abstract

Abstract

This research presents three studies that explore psychophysiological mechanisms regarding implementing a multisensory imagery strategy on consumer’s perception. Based on our first study’s self-report data, the effectiveness of this strategy will depend on the consumer’s masculine-feminine self-concept. Specifically, the multisensory imagery marketing messages tend to provide consumers with a higher degree of femininity a greater level of involvement and engagement than consumers with higher masculinity. This is because this advertisement facilitates the linkage between the consumer’s self-concept and their emotional memories. The second study will triangulate the results from the self-report data with brain activation using electroencephalography (EEG) signals, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobe areas. The third study will triangulate the results from self-report data (Study 1) and brand activation (Study 2) with the neurological data via the examination of Postsynaptic Density Protein 95 (PSD-95) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) expressed particularly in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus areas of the laboratory animal (Monodelphis domestica: gray short-tailed opossum). These proteins are also a conserved structure that presents in the human brain.

This study contributes to the sensory imagery stream of research and contributes to the expanding literature on consumer neuroscience. Based on our knowledge, this study is the first marketing research that triangulates and utilizes multiple methods—the use of self-report data, brain activations (i.e., EEG signals), and the neurological indicators (i.e., PSD-95 and BDNF protein) in the laboratory animal to obtain a better understanding of the effect of multisensory imagery marketing strategy on consumer’s perception. Additionally, this study also offers new insights to marketing practitioners and public policymakers. When creating an advertisement, marketers should pay attention to the different degrees of consumer’s masculine-feminine self-concept. Public policymakers can utilize multisensory imagery cues when introducing a new public policy campaign since multisensory imagery messages offer consumers a greater ability to recall information.