Princeton psychology researcher Samuel McClure and his colleagues conducted brain scans on people to understand why some prefer Coke and others have a taste for Pepsi.
In their study, the researchers first determined the Coke versus Pepsi preference of 67 volunteer subjects, both by asking them and by subjecting them to blind taste tests. They then gave the subjects sips of one drink or the other as they scanned the subjects' brains using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this widely used imaging technique, harmless magnetic fields and radio signals are used to measure blood flow in regions of the brain, with such flow indicating brain activity levels. In the experiments, the sips were preceded by either "anonymous" cues of flashes of light or pictures of a Coke or Pepsi can.
It turns out that the choice is based to some degree on "visual images and marketing messages that have insinuated themselves into the nervous systems of humans that consume the drinks." I bet next year's NeuroMarketing conference won't be cancelled due to low registration.
Link
