information The neuroscience of surprises: why breaking monotony improves attention and recall

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You may not remember much about the last ad break that was seen on linear television. When the program that was being watched switched to commercials it is possible that our attention went to something else, but also that we subconsciously assumed that we already knew what we were going to see. An advertising break on TV, to give an example of brand messages, does not mean much news. It is more of the same. It has no surprises - or we don't expect it to - and we know it will fall into a certain cadence.

Neuroscience has investigated how our brain reacts to both monotony and surprise. The 

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studies are not focused on the messages of the brands, but their conclusions can serve to clearly guide the neuromarketing strategy. At the end of the day, one of the elements that weighs down the relationship between brands and consumers is, precisely, monotony. Being the same as all other brands and staying in the background noise only make the messages of the brands and their products blur. They do not reach anyone.

Neuroscience explains that when things are predictable, the brain handles them in a different way. The brain is constantly scanning what is happening around it to detect those things that are out of the norm.

That is, it is alert to possible sensory impulses that are not what is expected and what is usual (that is why we 'do not see' what we are used to seeing regularly but something that breaks normality). When something breaks with the routine, the brain waves increase.

Reaction to surprises
Faced with this study, another analyzed what happens in the brain when something surprises us. The reaction is different from what normality manages. When we are surprised by something that breaks with the predictable, our brain releases dopamine, which reinforces the part associated with knowledge and the one that fixes memories in a more vivid way in the long term. In addition, our body also reacts in a general way. For example, the pupils dilate in surprise.

Surprises also make the events that generate it become a kind of milestone. Since they break with the structure that we assume that our environment has, they become breaks in the temporal flow, explain the specialists, and as such they are managed in a different way by the brain.

Likewise, the surprising is linked to the perception of the interesting and fun, of the reward. When something is predictable it seems boring to us and boring is only accepted in those areas that are connected to survival (no one wants a surprise when speeding down the highway). In areas such as narrative, music or sports, people expect and prefer surprises, explain those responsible for the study.

Why it is important for brands: the application in neuromarketing
Therefore, companies must be very clear about what they are doing and how they are developing their messages. They cannot fall into the common places and they cannot always repeat the same type of claims and messages. If it is done, it will end up falling into a routine and it will be one of those elements that the brain manages with little or no attention.

Surprises and messages that break with expectations will, on the contrary, connect with the consumer in a completely different way. Applying what researchers have discovered via neuromarketing makes it clear that you have to surprise not only to seduce, but also to be seen and remembered.

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