A Review of EEG Applications in Neuromarketing: Methods, Insights, and Future Directions

Abstract

EEG is increasingly applied in neuromarketing as it provides direct insights into consumer cognition and emotion beyond traditional self-report measures. However, challenges such as small samples, low ecological validity, and methodological limitations hinder its broader real-world application. The research contribution is a comprehensive synthesis of 40 empirical studies that examine EEG applications in neuromarketing, highlighting methodological approaches, analytical techniques, key insights, and persistent gaps that define the current state of the field. This review applied a structured comparative method by extracting and analyzing details from published EEG-based neuromarketing studies, including sample characteristics, device specifications, stimuli types, analytical techniques, and outcomes. The data were organized into a review table and further examined for patterns, strengths, limitations, and emerging opportunities. The results reveal that EEG can reliably classify consumer preferences when paired with deep learning models, while EEG indices such as neural synchrony and frontal alpha asymmetry predict advertising effectiveness and purchase intention. Emotional and attentional processes were consistently reflected in ERP components, and multimodal integration with physiological and behavioral data improved predictive validity. Nonetheless, most studies relied on small, homogeneous samples and static laboratory stimuli, limiting generalizability. In conclusion, EEG holds strong potential for advancing neuromarketing research and practice, yet future work must address scalability, cross-cultural validation, and ecological realism to fully harness its promise.