How do you get readers or viewers to understand and retain/remember content? 2011-2012 Reynolds Fellow Paul Bolls explores how the brain processes news and advertising. Solution: Brain friendly design of news, information and advertising.

1. Optimizing News Design Through
a Brain Science Approach
Making News Design
“Brain Friendly!”
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

2. Let’s think a minute!
• What is the purpose of journalism?
• What is “brain friendly” news design?
Or
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

3. Designing Online News for THE BRAIN
Reynolds Journalism Institute Faculty Fellowship
Holistic Communications Decisions
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

4. Look who’s looking at the brain!
• Neuromarketing…the CREATIVE science of design
Weird Science? Good Science?
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

5. This is the brain “on” media!
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

6. Three “Brain Rules”
• Understanding the brain “on” news
– Motivated information processor
– Limited capacity processor
– Categorical / Contextual information processor
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

7. The brain on “news” vs. “entertainment”
Attention: HR
2
Arousal: SCL
1
0
News 0
1 6 11162126313641465156 News
Entertainment 1 6 11162126313641465156
-2 -1 Entertainment
-4 -2
Negative Emotion: EMG Positive Emotion: EMG
0.03 2
0.02 0
News -2 1 6 11162126313641465156 News
0.01
Entertainment -4 Entertainment
0
-6
1 7 13 19 25 31 37 43 49 55
-0.01 -8
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

8. A “brain science” look at design
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

9. University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

10. http://www.bbc.com/news/
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism

12. To learn more about these slides, or for more
information, contact 2011-2012 Reynolds Fellow
Paul Bolls.
bollsp@missouri.edu
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism