Summing up the first phase of its NeuroStandards project, which was sponsored by major advertisers and secured the involvement of eight neuromarketing research firms, ARF says that neurological and biometric measurements can provide “deep, useful understanding – not available through traditional research – of the otherwise elusive world of consumer emotion”.

ARF is not recommending that advertisers abandon standard forms of research just yet, but its review suggests that neuromarketing research has some advantages in measuring emotional response and intensity and engagement levels, though with the limitations discussed at the ReThink conference in March.

The draft white paper is available here. ARF says: “It would be competitive folly for advertisers to defer learning about neuromarketing research until things settle down a bit.”

• Read more about measuring emotion in our dedicated section