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Ad Age has an interesting podcast, “What facial coding analysis says about McCain, Obama ads.” Check out the video, where Dan Hill of the specialized market research company Sensory Logic tells us that “McCain cannot really sell hope,” based on measurements of facial reactions to his speeches. On the other hand he is five times as good as Obama at “mudslinging” and tearing down his opponent. Just what we need in these rough times, a lot more dirt and a little less hope?

Back to Hill and his company’s measurements. The company was set up in 1998 and is described by Wikipedia as a scientific insights consumer firm (wonder who contributed that fluffy line?) they have been doing this for advertisers for some time, and Hill insists that measuring facial reactions is a pretty solid science that crosses cultural lines and overcomes learned behavior.

But what I really love is his The Face of the Week blog, which he is apparently too busy to write often, a real shame. See what he says about some of America’s favorite politicians. (can you guess what that face says?) Less background  and more on what those lips are really saying would take him less time.

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