A first-of-its-kind collaboration with a marketing company, Jaywing sponsored research will use the DSI’s Data Observatory (DO) facility, to apply controlled scientific research and analysis as a way to understand and then predict how audiences will react to marketing stimuli. One of only three academic data visualisation platforms in the world and Europe’s largest, the data observatory provides one of the most granular and interactive big data visualisations in existence. The Imperial College researchers will work alongside Jaywing’s creative and 60-strong data science teams on real-life client challenges. The results will help brands produce creative marketing that uses these cognitive insights to drive stronger commercial results.
Using advanced neuroscience techniques, the programme will apply technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and steady state topography (SST) to measure brain response, and changes in physiological state, to learn why consumers make the decisions they do, and which brain areas are responsible.
It is hoped the results of the study and newly explored methods can be integrated into the future design process of marketing campaigns, leading to new methodologies in data-driven marketing and new innovations in data product design.
Martin Boddy, CEO Jaywing plc, commented on the initiative: “We are at the forefront of a step change in how we use data in marketing. Understanding and predicting the real feelings of consumers is complex, particularly given the huge number of variables involved in generating emotion. This collaboration will enable us to form a scientific framework to predict emotional responses to marketing stimuli and understand how to translate immediate response into long-term brand advocacy. It means we can inform how we design marketing experiences in the future, make braver creative decisions and deliver better commercial results for our clients. This programme has the potential to disrupt the marketing industry, changing the way marketing is done and the role played by marketing agencies.”
Yike Guo, Founding Director, Data Science Institute, Imperial College London, added: “Data is the world’s largest and fastest growing resource. As consumers and in our work life, our use of technology means that so much of what we do generates data. Harnessing the power of this amazing resource to provide new and meaningful insights is what data science is all about and why Imperial College London has established the Data Science Institute.
“We’re particularly excited by this project, as it’s the first opportunity to use the Data Observatory as a research environment for marketing. The field of marketing is an exciting departure from our typical applications and early indications show the research has huge future potential.”
About Imperial College London:
Imperial College London is one of the world’s leading universities. The College’s 14,000 students and 7,500 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for society.
Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past – having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics – to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable energy technology and address security challenges. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial’s exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees.
Imperial nurtures a dynamic enterprise culture, where collaborations with industrial, healthcare and international partners are the norm. In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK’s first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.
Imperial has nine London campuses, including its White City Campus: a 25 acre research and innovation centre in west London. At White City, researchers, businesses and higher education partners are co-locating to create value from ideas on a global scale.