Neurosense & Ogilvy PR

The American Express Service

Study

Objectives of the study

To research and where possible support the following

hypotheses:

• Providing and receiving great service feels good

• Providing and receiving great service can be good for you

• Providing great service feels as good as receiving it

• Great service feels so good there is an innate, human desire

to pass that feeling on

Methodology

The study was structured in two complementary phases :

1. Phase one: Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia. Tackled the

psychological response to great service, capturing participants’ non-

conscious emotions and attitudes using Neurosense’s proprietary

online BrainLink™ software.

2. Phase two: measured the physiological reactions (heart rate,

breathing rate and galvanic skin response) participants had to great

service. Phase two was conducted using N-RAM™ processes and

biometric equipment in the labs at the University of West of England

in Bristol.

• The study took place during April and May 2013

How implicit works

The brain stores information based on closeness of association or shared meaning between concepts

FLOOD

WATER

WET

RAIN THAMES

Safari

PLEASE NOT ME!

How we did it…

THE AMERICAN

EXPRESS

SERVICE STUDY

Physiological

Measures

UK Based

Semantic

Priming

Video Stimuli

Prime Words (e.g. happy,

content)Semantic

Priming

Four Brand

Markets

RESULTS

Target Words (e.g. feeling

relieved, being

helpful)

Phase 1:

BrainLink

Phase 2: N-

RAM

Phase Sample Measure Input

Nicki Akers Account Director At Ogilvy PR

A healthy dose of service is just what the doctor

ordered: how great service can improve your health

Physiologically Psychologically

Emotionally

The American Express Service Study: The Results

Conclusion: Was the study able to

support the initial hypotheses

• Providing and receiving great service feels good…

Yes

• Providing and receiving great service can be good for you…

Yes

• Providing great service feels as good as receiving it…

Yes

• Great service feels so good there is an innate, human desire to

pass that feeling on…

Yes

Nicki Akers Account Director At Ogilvy PR

The Implications for American Express

Thank you