Oliver Atkinson sits down with Dr Paul J Zak, Professor of Economic Sciences, Psychology & Management at Claremont Graduate University and Founder/Chief Immersion Officer at Immersion Neuroscience, to explore how measuring emotion rewrites the rules of brand storytelling. Discover why he calls immersion “the give-a-shit metric,” and dive into the science showing you need just six peak moments a day to thrive.
The discussion ranges from a Diet Coke Super Bowl spot that won neurologic attention despite lukewarm “likes,” to a free smartwatch app that lets anyone track real-time audience resonance. Along the way, Zak unpacks the ethics of persuasion, reveals why AR often outperforms VR, and explains how emotional fitness could become the next health-insurance benchmark.
With 30-second Super Bowl ads now topping $7 million, learn how actionable brain data turns creative risk into competitive edge, and why slight “messiness” keeps stories human in an AI age.
For marketers, creatives and business leaders, this episode delivers actionable insights on crafting tension-rich narrative arcs, stress-testing content with second-by-second immersion scores, and designing experiences that amplify (rather than dull) genuine empathy.
Explore more from Dr. Paul J Zak:
- SIX emotional-fitness app – Google Play Apple
- The Little Book of Happiness by Dr Paul J Zak – available on Amazon and other major retailers
- More of Dr. Zak’s work – pauljzak.com
Follow The Audience Connection Podcast:
- Website: casualfilms.com
- Instagram: @casualglobal
- LinkedIn: Casual Films International
- BlueSky: @casualglobal.bsky.social
Subscribe now and join the conversation about creating content that truly resonates.
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