Neuromarketing is the current discipline that generates new hope and excitement at the enterprises for understanding how the consumer works and how to make him buy their products. The meanwhile popular term “Buy button” is supposed to be located in the human brain and enable to make people buy when “engaging” it. Apart from this probably utopian intention it is certain that findings of the neuroscience has been very helpful for the marketing-oriented research work and thus for the marketing practice. In the huge range of products brand preferences are getting more and more important for producers as well as for consumers. For decades market research institutions, and companies try to give an answer to the question how brand preferences arise and whether they can be influenced. But the classical market research methods provide an increasingly distorted image of the results as meanwhile consumers understand the goals of the survey and therefore give matching instead of honest and spontaneous answers to the questions of the interviewer. In contrast to that the neuromarketing applies instruments of the brain research and can thus see what is going on in the brains of the respondents while being interviewed.This paper deals with the application of current findings of neuromarketing to the emotionalization of brands. As an example for this intention the author has chosen the color cosmetics market as such purchases are highly emotional. Not even the economy crisis was able to change the fact that the total sales of the cosmetics and toiletries market has been rising over the past years. Women still enjoy buying color cosmetics in order to embellish the everyday life by indulging themselves and keeping up their appearance for the sense of well-being. Hence many people talk about the so-called “Lipstick Effect” which has been arisen from a strange theory of Leonard Lauder, head of the cosmetic group Estee Lauder. He claimed that there is a coherence between the sales of color cosmetic articles (especially the lipstick) and a cyclical downturn which will be proven by the current figures of the cosmetic market.
Table of Contents
1. Neuromarketing and the Lipstick Effect
1.1. Structure of the paper
1.2. Goals and approach of the study
2. German Cosmetic Industry
2.1. Facts and Figures
2.2. Cosmetic Segments
2.2.1. Skin care
2.2.2. Colour cosmetics
2.2.3. Natural cosmetic market
3. Neuro Marketing as support for brand management
3.1. Definition of the term
3.2. Findings and methods of brain research
3.2.1. Electroencephalography (EEG)
3.2.2. Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
3.2.3. Positron emission tomography (PET)
3.2.4. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
3.3. Emotions
3.4. Theoretical approaches to explain emotions
3.5. Limbic system: The emotional centre of the head
3.5.1. Amygdala: The emotional appraisal centre
3.5.2. Hippocampus: The gate to the memory
3.5.3. Hyphothalamus: The anteroom of the consciousness
3.6. Interaction of the areas of the brain in decision-making process
4. Limbic® as tool for the explanation of Consumer behaviour
4.1. Emotion and Motive Systems
4.1.1. Balance System
4.1.2. Stimulant System
4.1.3. Dominance System
4.2. Limbic® Map
4.3. Limbic® Types
5. The world of brands: brand preferences and emotionalization
5.1. Definition and functions of brands
5.2. Brands and Emotions
5.3. Brand image
5.3.1. The importance of labels for cosmetic brands
5.3.2. The importance of packaging designs for cosmetic products
5.4. Brand personality
5.5. Brand identity
6. Positioning of cosmetic brands on the Limbic® Map
6.1. Definition of motivation and motive within the Consumer behaviour
6.2. Motives for the purchase of colour cosmetics
6.2.1. Collection of motives for the usage of cosmetic products
6.2.2. Derivation of beautification worlds
6.3. Limbic® analysis of colour cosmetics brands
6.3.1. Rimmel of London
6.3.2. Maybelline Jade
6.3.3. Avon. The company of women
6.3.4. Astor
6.3.5. Lancaster
6.3.6. Yves Saint Laurent
6.3.7. Elizabeth Arden
6.3.8. Marbert
6.4. Limbic® Positioning of the brands
7. Summary and Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis aims to analyze how emotions and motives influence consumer decision-making processes, specifically within the colour cosmetics market. By applying a neuromarketing-oriented approach—the Limbic® Tool—the research investigates how different consumer types, characterized by their unique personalities and motives, develop preferences for specific cosmetic brands.
- Application of the Limbic® Tool to decode consumer buying motives in the cosmetics sector.
- Integration of biological and psychological insights regarding the limbic system and emotional processing.
- Analysis of the correlation between brand identity, emotional branding, and consumer loyalty.
- Detailed positioning of selected mass market and luxury cosmetic brands on the Limbic® Map.
- Investigation of the "Lipstick Effect" and its relevance to current market trends.
Excerpt from the Book
3.5 Limbic System: The emotional centre of the head
The limbic system is situated between the brain stem and the cerebrum. It is responsible for the formation of emotions, for learning, and for memory. Important parts of the limbic system are the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus, mammillary bodies, fornix, and cingulate gyrus, of which some will be explained later in detail. All these parts have important functions for brain activities and are linked with other brain regions. Warmbier indicates that while the cerebral cortex stands for knowledge, analytical approaches, and rationality the limbic system cares for the emotional and intuitive interpretation of a situation. But both units are involved in the process of making decisions (cf. Warmbier 2008, p. 74). According to Häusel and Wassmann even the cerebrum works under the rules of the limbic system (cf. Häusel 2008, p. 76; Wassmann 2002, p. 73).
Within the limbic system emotions are experienced unconsciously. Everybody knows the condition of not being able to describe an existing emotion. But still this experience is so strong that it might change humans’ behaviour. And even those decisions which people seem to be aware of have also been made unconsciously in our emotional areas, already several hundred milliseconds afore. Not until any external stimulus has reached the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex via the cingulate gyrus the emotion will not be consciously perceived and thus behaviour cannot be controlled (cf. Hülshoff 2008, p. 100).
Summary of Chapters
1. Neuromarketing and the Lipstick Effect: Introduces neuromarketing as a modern discipline and explores the economic phenomenon of the "Lipstick Effect" in the context of cosmetics.
2. German Cosmetic Industry: Provides an overview of current facts, figures, and major segments within the German cosmetic market, including skin care and colour cosmetics.
3. Neuro Marketing as support for brand management: Examines biological and neurological foundations of consumer behavior, focusing on the role of the limbic system and emotional processing.
4. Limbic® as tool for the explanation of Consumer behaviour: Explains the Limbic® Tool and its framework, detailing the Balance, Stimulant, and Dominance systems.
5. The world of brands: brand preferences and emotionalization: Discusses the significance of branding, brand personality, and identity in creating emotional connections with consumers.
6. Positioning of cosmetic brands on the Limbic® Map: Analyzes specific cosmetic brands and categorizes them based on the Limbic® framework and consumer motives.
7. Summary and Conclusion: Synthesizes findings and offers recommendations for brand positioning and future marketing strategies.
Keywords
Neuromarketing, Limbic System, Brand Preference, Colour Cosmetics, Consumer Behaviour, Emotional Branding, Limbic Map, Stimulant System, Balance System, Dominance System, Brand Identity, Market Positioning, Neuroscience, Decision-Making, Lipstick Effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work investigates the application of neuromarketing findings to understand and demonstrate brand preferences in the colour cosmetics market.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The study covers the German cosmetics market, neuroscience-based emotion research, the Limbic® Tool, brand personality/identity, and strategic brand positioning.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to illustrate how emotional and motive-driven decision-making influences consumer brand choice and how companies can better position their brands using the Limbic® Map.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a neuromarketing-oriented analytical approach, integrating neurological brain research (EEG, fMRI, PET) and psychological motivation theory into a marketing framework.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The body covers the biological basis of emotions, the categorization of consumers into Limbic® Types, and a practical analysis of how various cosmetic brands align with these emotional structures.
Which keywords best describe the research?
Key terms include Neuromarketing, Limbic System, Consumer Behaviour, Brand Identity, and Colour Cosmetics.
What role does the "Lipstick Effect" play in this study?
It serves as an example of how consumer spending in the cosmetic market remains resilient during cyclical downturns, highlighting the highly emotional nature of these purchases.
How does the Limbic® Tool categorize consumer types?
It categorizes consumers based on the dominance of the Balance, Stimulant, or Dominance systems, resulting in seven specific types like the 'Traditionalist', 'Hedonist', or 'Performer'.
Why is brand positioning on the Limbic® Map effective?
Because it aligns a brand's corporate identity and marketing communications with the specific unconscious emotional motives of target consumer segments, making the brand more 'engaging'.
- Quote paper
- Irina Dering (Author), 2010, Definition of brand preferences by means of the Limbic® Tool, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/159196
