Can stimulating consumers' imaginations create stronger bonds? Maybe.
According to scientists at Carnegie Mellon (via Science Friday), neuroscientists are studying habituation. That's the role of imaging -- thinking about tasting an yummy apple rather than just eating it. Turns out that imaging that yummy apple, not just once but many times, makes the brain behave as though you've actually eaten the apple.
Which reminded me of this: not long ago someone said to me, "Instead of buying a thing, I just carry it around the store for awhile. If I do it long enough, I feel as though I actually own it."
Or this: sometimes, watching a great movie actually elicits real feelings, and even real memories, in the viewer. It's as though the viewer actually experienced the events and feelings in the movie. Think Inception.
This is fascinating for brands. What if marketers can create feelings in consumers via habutation, similar to the feelings one gets through experiences, through a web experience or commercial?
It also lends a ton of power to the notion of thinking about marketing as creating experiences and adding value for consumers.
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