Synergon Consulting is a management consulting firm that uses various tools, including ConsumerBrain, to understand consumer purchasing behaviors. ConsumerBrain uses neuroscientific techniques like visual stimuli exercises to investigate brain mechanisms and neurotransmitters that influence decisions. It provides objective data on purchasing drivers to help with applications like customer segmentation, pricing, and branding.

1. ConsumerBrain
Neuromarketing Research Tool
Decoding purchasing behavior

2. Who we are
Synergon Consulting is a management and strategy consulting company
Projects in: Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Holland, UK
Four areas of expertise:
Corporate Strategy (M&A commercial due-diligence, industry analysis, etc.)
Business Process Mapping & Operations Improvement
Human Resources Management
Marketing (customer segmentation, pricing, advertising efficiency, etc.)
We use value-added tools in our projects – ConsumerBrain is one of them
Decoding purchasing behavior

3. Some of our clients
Financial Services Telecom Manufacturing Retail/FMCG Pharma
Decoding purchasing behavior

4. Need for objectivity in marketing
Traditional research techniques (focus groups, questionnaires)
capture what customers SAY, not what they DO
Management decisions are based on customer stated preferences
and not on their real purchasing drivers
Usual research errors for traditional techniques include: projection
bias, desirability bias, social conformity, etc.
In order to understand and anticipate behaviours, we have to focus on
measuring the triggers of behaviours
Decoding purchasing behavior

5. Neuromarketing
A new discipline emerged: neuromarketing - it focuses on analyzing and
understanding human behavior in marketing exchanges through the use
of neuroscientific methods (fMRI, MEG, PET, GSR)
It evaluates the neurological drivers (brain mechanisms) of consumer
behavior
Applies and integrates research data from: behavioral neuroscience,
psychology, physiology and marketing
Decoding purchasing behavior

6. Neuromarketing
Through extensive experimental research, there has been proved a
direct link between various brain mechanisms and specific behaviors
Brain mechanisms Specific Behaviors
Decoding purchasing behavior

7. Neuromarketing
Well-known research institutes have been involved for the last decade in
mapping brain regions responsible for various human behaviors
(Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Sackler Institute, London Business School,
California Institute of Technology, etc.)
Decoding purchasing behavior

8. Neuroscientific techniques
Behind consumer purchasing behaviors we find basic
needs: rewards, pleasure, emotions, motivations, etc.
These basic needs are determined / modulated in the brain
by several neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin,
noradrenalin)
Genetic differences in the systems that regulate these
chemicals determine individual differences among people
The functioning of neurotransmitters (behaviour triggers)
can be identified through the use of neuroscientific
techniques
Decoding purchasing behavior

9. Neuroscientific techniques
ConsumerBrain is a neuroscientific technique which investigates the
functioning of brain mechanisms (neurotransmitters) in order to identify
consumer purchasing drivers and anticipate future behaviors
The tool integrates several exercises which contain only visual stimuli
Decoding purchasing behavior

10. ConsumerBrain – description
Exercises such as those comprised by ConsumerBrain have been used in the
Brain Mapping project (together with neuroimaging findings and correlative data)
to evaluate brain mechanisms.
Raw data collected (parameters such as: reaction time, number of errors, number
of trials) are interpreted using scientific research and show the functioning of
specific brain mechanisms (which influence our purchasing decisions).
Decoding purchasing behavior

11. ConsumerBrain - description
The task/exercise Affective Studies at Oxford University,
Switching has been proved and Emory University have
(Cambridge University, Brain Driver of
mapped the functioning of the
Research Institute) to investigate the Consumer
“Reward brain network”
“Reward brain network” Behaviour
(amygdale, corpus striatum,
(dopaminergic trajectory), which (Novelty Seeking)
insular cortex, cortex cingulated
determines human behaviour of rostral and orbit-frontal median.
exploration and novelty processing.
Decoding purchasing behavior

12. ConsumerBrain - Advantages
On-line, fast administration – approx. 50 min
Eliminates traditional research biases
Raw data obtained (reaction time, number of errors, number of trials) are
analyzed based on functional statistics emerged from extensive research
Allows easy customisation for various research objectives
Provides the most objective data for management decisions
Decoding purchasing behavior

13. ConsumerBrain - Applications
By identifying consumer purchasing drivers, the instrument can
provide valuable data for various projects:
Customer segmentation
Pricing
Product design
Increasing brand loyalty
Improving advertising efficiency
Emotional branding
Decoding purchasing behavior

14. Applications – example 1
Brand loyalty is due to the functioning of the reversal/extinction brain mechanism, which has
the role of up-dating our behavior/attitude based on the changes in the reward value of the
product.
This mechanism has a specific location in the brain, connecting the orbitofrontal/cingulate
cortex with nucleus accumbens and limbic system.
Differences in the functioning of this brain mechanism make people manifest a specific
purchasing behavior.
Loyalty toward a product is mediated by the consumers’ tolerance to frustration, which is
given by the functioning of the reward learning brain mechanism.
For some people, this brain mechanism is very sensitive to non-reward situations (lack of
product on shelf, higher price than expected, etc), and in this case they will tend to override
their preferences and purchase something else (cheaper, available, etc).
Decoding purchasing behavior

15. Applications – example 2
Emotional branding implies elevating the role of emotional feelings
(besides rational information) for consumers who make purchasing
decisions.
Connecting on emotional level and triggering the desired responses means
to understand the role of all 5 senses (actually 10) involved For example,
in case of hunger sensation, besides the taste, there are also involved
the visceral and chemical senses, which integrate information from blood
and internal organs (ex. stomach).
Knowing how to integrate all senses for example in product design or
marketing campaigns would result in increased revenues.
Decoding purchasing behavior

16. If you think that finding consumer purchasing drivers is critical and
feel that objectivity of the research data is paramount important, then
ConsumerBrain is the right tool for you!
Contact us for more information at:
Synergon Consulting
Cal. Victoriei nr. 136, Et. 4, Ap. 39, Sect. 1, Bucuresti
Tel/Fax: +40 21 3100 415, Email: office@synergonconsulting.ro
www.synergonconsulting.ro www.consumerbrain.ro
Decoding purchasing behavior