UTEP Professor studies the impact of Super Bowl ads on the human brain

While some people were watching last night’s super bowl for the actual game, others may have been watching for the commercials.

UTEP Professor Dr. Stephen Sands specializes in making EEG equipment – used for neurological research – which records electrical patterns in a persons brain.

It was back in 2007 when Sands decided to use his homemade equipment to research the impact Super Bowl ads have on everyday people’s brains.

“In the past it’s been very helpful to show it to a client that’s not very familiar with this technology. What we’re more interested in is how an ad is going to influence the brand later on,” said Sands.

The process is a simple one. Sands looks for people who have not yet seen Super Bowl ads. The person is then asked to sit in a chair and is hooked up to an EEG machine. After everything is set up, the person sits and watches sixty to seventy ads.

“The first thing that we see is an initial spike in interest coming from an area in the brain that’s involved in evaluating the emotional content,” said Sands.

According to a USA Today poll, the number one Super Bowl ad this year was the NFL’s two minute long commercial, celebrating the league’s upcoming 100th anniversary.

According to Sand, the length of an ad is key.

“Last year a brand did three 10-second spots, and absolutely no recall of any one of those because it was too short. 30-seconds is pushing it. 15-seconds is cutting it close,” explained Sands.

Another factor in creating a memorable Super Bowl ad is making sure the ad has a little humor to it to help keep the viewer fully engaged.

“If you don’t have something that is going to bring them in quickly you also have lost your money,” said Sands.

Dr. Sands is currently working on this years Super Bowl ad research with the University of Memphis at the School of Marketing.