Brainwave measurements reveal YouTube creators' power to captivate

YouTube videos are often said to be "effective," but many people probably don't know exactly what they're effective at or how. In our previous article, we introduced how YouTube creators' strengths relate to "reliability" (social credibility, tradition) and "credibility" (friendliness, likability, empathy). Reliability scores increase with broader recognition through media exposure, while credibility relates more to a personal emotional closeness.

So how exactly do videos created by YouTube creators close this emotional distance with viewers? And what changes occur in viewers' emotions when they watch these videos?

To uncover the facts that generate this "reliability" and "credibility," we conducted an emotional evaluation using "brain waves" with the cooperation of UUUM, an agency representing many YouTube creators. This time, we present the results of that investigation.

Understanding Emotional Changes Through Brainwaves! Utilizing the Latest Neuromarketing

People make judgments and take action while experiencing various emotions. When emotions change, electrical activity occurs in the brain. Brainwaves are the measurement of this electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp surface. Since the frequency patterns of brainwaves differ depending on the type of emotion, emotions can be defined based on these frequency patterns.

Dentsu ScienceJam Inc. utilizes this brainwave measurement technology for emotional understanding in its neuromarketing. It measures emotions like "feeling stressed," "being focused," or "showing interest" on a second-by-second basis, quantifying them on a scale from 0 to 100.

While surveys and interviews could be used to evaluate video content like this, they place a significant burden on respondents due to frequent shifts in viewer emotions, potentially obscuring genuine emotional changes. Furthermore, responses given after deliberation may not reveal true feelings.

Brainwave measurement, however, allows real-time data collection simply by wearing an EEG device, enabling viewers to remain fully focused on the content. Furthermore, by using brainwaves—a medium difficult to consciously manipulate—it reveals instinctive evaluations.

While EEG equipment was once expensive and bulky, recent technological advancements have significantly miniaturized it. This allows for easy measurement anytime, anywhere.

For this study, we utilized "Brain Behavior Insight," Dentsu ScienceJam Inc.'s proprietary neuro-research platform.

This approach involves distributing measurement devices to participants' homes. Participants then enjoy videos in a relaxed state while at home, allowing us to acquire their brainwave data, which is then analyzed on a dedicated server. This enables brainwave acquisition in an environment closely resembling actual YouTube viewing patterns, achieving speedy and cost-effective research.

Incidentally, this at-home survey platform has also been effectively utilized in corporate R&D and marketing support amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted smooth venue-based research. Everything from recruiting participants to fitting them with EEG devices and conducting experiments is done remotely. This allows for the safe and secure measurement of consumers' stress levels and their real emotions during product use within their home environment.

YouTube Creator Videos Activate the Brain More Than Commercials!?

This time, we conducted a survey with the cooperation of 56 participants. The subjects were videos by two YouTube creators affiliated with UUUM. Video A (produced by Creator A: just under 7 minutes) featured a sponsored challenge project, concluding with an introduction to the sponsoring company's service. Video B (produced by Creator B: just over 10 minutes) explained the experience of actually using a new product and introduced its features.

In other words, the subjects were the classic YouTube creator video patterns: "try-it-out" and "product review." For comparison, participants also watched two commercial videos (both 30 seconds) for services/products in the same category.

First, we mapped the distribution ratio of emotions (Valence: positive/negative) and brain activity (Arousal: active/inactive) every second during video viewing, using these two axes.

The results showed that YouTube videos were watched with highly active and positive emotions. While the commercials we analyzed together were also of very high quality and elicited extremely positive reactions, the YouTube creator's video received an even more favorable response (as indicated by the higher percentage in the first quadrant during the four-quadrant analysis).

Furthermore, while viewers typically lose focus and become bored during the latter half of longer videos, Video B maintained sustained attention throughout, with viewers watching all the way to the final product introduction segment. Notably, Video A showed an increase in concentration levels during its latter half.

Furthermore, the most active scene in Video A was the climax of the scream-inducing challenge segment. Activity levels were lower both before and immediately after this scene, changing as if synchronized with the creator's own emotions. In Mr. A's video, clear peaks and troughs were visible in both the timing of concentration and emotional fluctuations, following a distinct narrative arc.

While another study showed that videos featuring "highly recognizable talent" (i.e., those perceived as highly trustworthy) tended to yield higher interest and satisfaction levels, Mr. A's video demonstrated a similar effect.

Furthermore, while brain activity typically drops when viewers clearly perceive "advertising messages" in promotional segments, YouTube creators' videos maintained high activity levels even during these parts. This indicates a very positive response. Even when comparing just the promotional segments in the latter half of the video to commercial clips, the activity levels remained high, and viewers remained focused. This suggests the promotional content elicited positive reactions from viewers and functioned effectively.