The study involved 20 subjects who wore caps with electrodes that were linked to electroencephalography (EEG) equipment, which measured and recorded brain activity in millisecond increments. Subjects were exposed to all 60 commercial segments that aired during the Superbowl, and were orally tested to gauge recall of ad content and brand immediately after all 60 ads. Subjects also reported their preference for each ad.

The results, which can be found at www.sandsresearch.com, demonstrated that the top-ten commercials in terms of physiological response elicited and brand recall are as follows:

“While many of the commercials that made the top-ten list were favored by critics using qualitative methods, there are a few surprises such as Pepsi ’s ‘Bob ’s House, ’ which made the number one slot for the viewer participation the subtitles required as well as the novelty of a commercial conducted in sign language, ” said Dr. Stephen Sands, founder of Sands Research.

“Overall, we found that the most influential factors determining viewer response and recall were the duration of the commercial [30-second vs. 60-second vs. 15-second spots ] and the sequence with which the commercial aired [viewers demonstrated greater response and recall to those commercials that aired closer to the beginning of the game ]. Furthermore we found that brand recall improved significantly if a company had two or more commercial spots throughout the course of the game. ”

Scientists from Sands Research are still running statistical tests on data to determine any additional factors that may have influenced results. Neuromedia analysis is an increasingly sophisticated and cost-effective method of gauging the potency of media on viewer audiences that offers unique insight into audience engagement and the decision making process.