Case Study: German Financial Institute improves ad trust messaging with Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience

Measuring “Trust” in the financial sector

German Financial Institute worked with Nielsen Holdings to better understand whether its latest television ad was communicating trust, a critical factor for consumers deciding where to invest their life savings. The institution wanted to know if a change in music was affecting how viewers perceived the brand’s trustworthiness.

Using Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience’s EEG-based measurement, Nielsen Holdings tested two versions of the ad: an upbeat track and a classical version. The traditional music performed better, helping viewers connect emotionally with the ad, support key moments, and communicate “trust” more effectively. The study found classical instruments were more associated with longevity and stability, while the synthesized sounds in modern music were more associated with excitement and risk.