Every week, Amárach and Future Proof Insights share exclusive findings from their PRIZM+ ad testing service showcasing best practice creative advertising in Ireland.
AIB's “The Questions You Really Care About” advertisement provides a particularly interesting example of how our brains delight in solving puzzles and sticking concepts together.
Rather than explicitly stating the narrative, the advertisement conveys a rich background and story that we become emotionally invested in as our brains actively piece together the story - a process that generates stronger neural engagement and deeper emotional investment.
When the father displays his weariness after multiple failed viewings, viewers' we see a spike in emotional engagement.
This response isn't just about witnessing his frustration - the brain is actively working to understand the broader context based on the conversation with his mother, a frustration that is experienced all around the country in modern Ireland.
This emotional response, creates stronger neural pathways and deeper engagement.
The subtle cues -- weather, body language and facial expressions all deliver the same message of weariness -- capture us in an empathetic way, making the audience active participants in the story.
The brain response data shows particularly interesting patterns during moments of unspoken communication.
When father and daughter exchange that knowing look after viewing the house, neural activity is sparked indicates high levels of engagement and emotional response.
This surge suggests viewers experience a reward response from solving this emotional puzzle - they've worked out what's happening without being explicitly told, creating a moment of cognitive satisfaction that strengthens brand association.
The child's drawings act as another subtle but powerful narrative device. Rather than directly showing the viewing experience, this indirect storytelling approach keeps cognitive load at optimal levels while maintaining emotional engagement.
Viewers' brains are actively connecting these visual dots, leading to stronger memorization precisely when the brand message appears.
Most tellingly, the brain response patterns show how this approach of letting viewers decode the story themselves transforms a typically complex financial decision into an emotionally resonant and real human experience.
By trusting the audience to read between the lines, the advertisement creates deeper neural engagement than direct messaging could achieve, while ensuring the brand becomes intrinsically linked to this moment of emotional and cognitive satisfaction.
Crucially, the context of the advertisement is to intrinsically tied to the brand and product that it is the context or lens through which the solution is framed. AIB are here to help you find your home, and to focus on what really matters, the people inside your home.
For more information about PRIZM+ go to: https://www.futureproofinsights.ie/prizm-plus/
