Gotta love these scientific studies. From Marketing Week:
Research has found that oxytocin, which acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, causes people to have more empathy towards issues raised in TV advertisements.
Participants at the Claremont Graduate University in California were given a spray of oxytocin to sniff, or a placebo, and then shown US and UK public service announcements about the dangers of smoking, alcohol, reckless driving and global warming.
They were then asked how they felt about the issues raised and given an opportunity to give some of the money they had earned from participating to the cause.
Those given the oxytocin spray said they felt an increased level of empathy and gave 56% more money to the causes advertised.
So, how much longer will it be before desperate marketers suggest hormone therapy in an attempt to boost their sales?
The blog Big Think takes a closer look at Oxytocin with Paul Zak, who led the research study above.