Researchers at Rotterdam School of Management, have discovered what in a TV advert triggers people to find the product online. This group was shown the adverts of 11 different adverts, all created for the same brand of pain-relieving muscle and joint gel. Brain scans then revealed that an advert works best when it highlights both a product’s functional benefits and triggers the viewer’s imagination. James Brydges spoke to Linda Couwenberg, who led the research.