In recent years, the regulation of brain networks and interactions between different brain regions have become important issues in neuroscience. Effective connectivity can be employed to understand the modulatory mechanisms of brain networks. Previous studies have used the task-positive mode to examine effective connectivity between brain regions and very few studies have considered the task-negative mode to explore effective connectivity using electroencephalography (EEG). In the present study, high-density EEG experiments were conducted in 85 participants to measure EEG effective connectivity in relevant default mode network (DMN) brain regions (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], posterior cingulate cortex [PCC], precuneus, and right frontal and left occipital regions) to observe the effects of different task-negative modes (eyes-open/eyes-closed state) and personality traits (introversion/extroversion). The results showed that in the eyes-closed state, the PCC had significantly increased effective connectivity and played a prominent role as a regulatory modulator of outflow to other regions mediated by alpha rhythms. The mPFC was a regulatory modulator of outflow in the eyes-open state mediated by delta rhythms. The introvert group showed stronger co-modulations in the relevant DMN regions than the extrovert group.

Neuromarketing has become popular and received a lot of attention. The quality of video commercials and the product information they convey to consumers is a hotly debated topic among advertising agencies and product advertisers. This study explored the impact of advertising narrative and the frequency of branding product exposures on the preference for the commercial and the branding product. We performed electroencephalography (EEG) experiments on 30 subjects while they watched video commercials. The behavioral data indicated that commercials with a structured narrative and containing multiple exposures of the branding products had a positive impact on the preference for the commercial and the branding product. The EEG spectral dynamics showed that the narratives of video commercials resulted in higher theta power of the left frontal, bilateral occipital region, and higher gamma power of the limbic system. The narratives also induced significant cognitive integration-related beta and gamma power of the bilateral temporal regions and the parietal region. It is worth noting that the video commercials with a single exposure of the branding products would be indicators of attention. These new findings suggest that the presence of a narrative structure in video commercials has a critical impact on the preference for branding products.

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The present study was conducted to provide neuroimaging correlates for neurodesign of automobile for marketing aesthetics, using event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs) and participant reports. Thirty men and women aged 22-27 years were presented with various 3-dimensional automobile modelling shapes (rectangular, streamlined, and round), which were cross-matched with various interior colour tones (pure hue/vivid, light, and dark tones) in the experimental conditions, i.e., rectangular exterior with a vivid tone interior. The stimuli pairs were to be rated by participants to facilitate our understanding of the emotional dimensions of automotive design qualities. Significant differences were observed in the high gamma band of 80-100 Hz in the left temporal area between the two sexes. Men elicited a stronger high gamma band signals for dark colour tone interiors and rectangular or round automobile modelling designs because of the meaningful and comprehensible signals associated with the mechanisms of working memory. In contrast, women had fewer reactions than men, and elicited higher beta-band dynamics in the anterior cingulate cortex for rectangular automobile modelling design, and higher gamma-band dynamics for light colour tone interiors, which might relate to their higher self-awareness of positive emotional reward.

Stealth placement marketing, where consumers are unaware that they are being marketed to, attempts to reduce the audiences’ resistance to traditional persuasive advertising. It is a form of advertising that involves targeted exposure of brands or products incorporated in other works, usually with or without explicit reference to the brands or products. Brand placement can be presented in different visual and auditory forms in video programs. The present study proposed that different ‘representations’ (i.e., representable or non-representable) and ‘sounds’ (i.e., speech or musical sound) of brand placement can affect the viewers’ perception of the brand. Event-related potential results indicated significant differences in P1, N1, P2, N270, and P3. Further, event-related spectral perturbation results indicated significant differences in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma (30–100 Hz), in the right parietal, right occipital area, and limbic lobe. ‘Non-representable’ or ‘speech sound’ brand placement induced significant temporal and spectral EEG dynamics in viewers.