• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, February 21, 2012

Bravo said a neuroscience study it commissioned shows advertising is much more likely to resonate when shown during a program with related content --  i.e., food brands during “Top Chef.”

The study, conducted by Melbourne-based Neuro-Insight, gauged the live brain response of 150 people using 24 ads in categories ranging from automotive to entertainment to retail. The ads were within six series on Bravo and competitive networks, and compared consumers' brain reaction to ads related to the content with those where there was no direct link.

The research found that in the brain regions where long-term memory is stored, neuro-activity on average is 15% greater when ads are contextually relevant to the content.

Bravo said, however, that effectiveness is not simple -- such as a natural link between a Macy’s ad and “Fashion Hunters.”

A “stronger impact” comes when the creative content has a certain appeal -- even if it is in a somewhat unrelated category -- such as when a car ad highlights the “beauty and glamour of the driving experience” airs during a fashion program.

Bravo’s sales team pitches vignettes that can blend elements of a program with a brand. The network said those bring the highest level of recall. “Hybrid” spots that use a type of branded entertainment show “long-term memory storage” that is 19% higher on average.

Pranav Yadav, the CEO of Neuro-Insight, stated that the company’s technology can work to help advertisers go beyond ratings and alter the program mix where there is a better chance of generating positive consumer response.