Small Data, big impact: How a small Brazilian company leveraged data strategies and neuromarketing theoretical concepts to drive brand success
Abstract
Neuromarketing is a multidisciplinary field with a focus on how the brain processes information and influences decision-making. Traditionally, it has been the domain of large corporations, which use Big Data analytics to decode consumer behaviour. However, the high cost of these sophisticated tools presents a significant barrier for small businesses, which often lack the necessary IT infrastructure and data analysis capabilities. This paper details a three-year action research project conducted at Touca Caracol, a small Brazilian beauty and hair care company. The project aimed to optimise digital and social marketing strategies by integrating neuromarketing principles, such as sensory branding, heuristics and neurodesign, with Small Data analysis, leveraging accessible and manageable data from sources such as direct customer feedback and social media monitoring. The results were substantial: approximately 1,000 per cent increase in Instagram followers and 300 per cent growth in monthly revenue in four years. These results stemmed from a deep understanding of consumer behaviour, prioritising customer experience and building a strong brand identity that resonated with the target audience’s needs and emotions. This case study contributes to a path for the democratisation of neuromarketing, providing practical guidance and demonstrating the potential for small businesses to achieve sustainable growth and market impact through the strategic application of accessible research methods. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks/business.
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Author's Biography
Ana Cláudia Peixoto is a journalist and specialist in strategic marketing, competitive intelligence and sales. She is the Managing Director of eLevar, a company specialising in digital marketing, strategic planning and human resources management. A recognised speaker and consultant accredited by the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service, she creates strategies for projects in the beauty, retail, tourism and agribusiness sectors. With 25 years of experience, her expertise spans strategic marketing, neuromarketing, political marketing, corporate communication and broadcasting. She holds degrees from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Federal Fluminense University and University Estácio de Sá. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Business and Social Sciences in Argentina, researching neuromarketing strategies for small businesses. She is co-author of the book ‘As Donas da P* Toda’, a best-selling title on female entrepreneurship.
Andrei Bonamigo is a professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), where he is affiliated with the Special Interdisciplinary Coordination of Information and Communication Technologies and coordinates the Operations Management Research Centre. Since 2019, he has also served as a Permanent Professor in the Postgraduate Programme in Production Engineering at the Federal Fluminense University. In 2025, he became a Collaborating Professor in UFSC’s Postgraduate Programme in Production Engineering. He holds a PhD in production engineering from UFSC and is a recipient of a CNPq Research Productivity Fellowship from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. He is also a member of the Undergraduate Studies Working Group of the Brazilian Association of Production Engineering.
Jakub Berčík is an associate professor at the Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies at the Slovak University of Agriculture. He is also Director of the university’s Laboratory of Consumer Studies and the Laboratory of Neuroeconomics and Consumer Decision-Making at the Agrobiotech Research Centre. He is a marketing consultant to the National Agricultural and Food Centre and an active member of the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia. He is also a member of the Neuromarketing Science & Business Association and the Slovak Neuromarketing Society. Jakub is a former National President in the Chamber of Commerce of Young Entrepreneurs and co-author Jakub Berčík is an associate professor at the Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies at the Slovak University of Agriculture. He is also Director of the university’s Laboratory of Consumer Studies and the Laboratory of Neuroeconomics and Consumer Decision-Making at the Agrobiotech Research Centre. He is a marketing consultant to the National Agricultural and Food Centre and an active member of the Association of Agricultural Economists in Slovakia. He is also a member of the Neuromarketing Science & Business Association and the Slovak Neuromarketing Society. Jakub is a former National President in the Chamber of Commerce of Young Entrepreneurs and co-author of ‘Neuromarketing in Food Retailing’, published by Wageningen Academic Publishers, which received the prestigious Zlatý kosák (Golden Sickle) award in 2017. He is also co-inventor on a patent and holds four utility models in the field of retail and services research.
