Success for New Scientist's Cover Research

UK-based magazine New Scientist has reported a 12% increase in newsstand sales for its issue featuring a cover tested by neuromarketing agency NeuroFocus.

As part of the study, New Scientist ran three possible covers past 19 right-handed males identified as 'occasional news stand buyers'. NeuroFocus used EEGs to track the respondents' reactions on seeing each cover, and then their brain activity as they were asked questions about it, while eye movements were also tracked and analysed.

From the results of this research, NeuroFocus identified one cover as 'clearly superior' in terms of its overall neurological effectiveness. This design scored well in emotional engagement, which is one of NeuroFocus' primary 'NeuroMetrics'; the others being attention and memory retention.

'This issue of the magazine achieved strong UK newsstand sales, making it the second highest selling issue of the year,' explains Deputy Editor, Graham Lawton. 'This is very unusual for the normally quiet month of August, so we would certainly say the experiment was a big success.'

According to Lawton, this research marks the first time that the publishing industry has applied EEG technology to determine the appeal of cover designs to the buying public.

'The results have very significant implications for companies across many categories, but especially those for whom the effectiveness of packaging design is a vital marketplace component,' he adds.

Web site: www.neurofocus.com and www.newscientist.com .