Nielsen Debuts Eye Tracking Tool for Package Tests

Nielsen has launched a solution called the Design Navigator, which uses eye tracking technology to help marketers improve the effectiveness of package design.

The firm says that typically, by the time designs go out to testing, consumers only see those the internal team thought were the best ones, and rarely get a chance to weigh up some of the 'more revolutionary' or 'riskier' versions. The new solution draws on patented technologies developed by recently acquired concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova, and allows brands and designers to test a wider range of design concepts earlier in the process. Viewers are invited to look at a collection of designs online and in a competitive context, and their eye movements are then analyzed to uncover which concepts capture and hold their attention most successfully.

Designs are assessed on factors such as visual 'stand out', consumer preference and brand equity, and marketers can also use the tool to understand what consumers like and don't like about specific imagery. According to Nielsen, early results have shown that brands using the Nielsen Design Navigator experience a 34% increase in package design stand out, a 28% increase in consumer preference for the product, and a 5.5% increase in forecasted sales.

Andrew Somosi, EVP Product Leadership, states: 'Design is one of the most underleveraged marketing tools because of the uncertainty built into the process and absence of metrics to track results. Solutions such as Nielsen Design Navigator have the power to change the design packaging game by empowering CMOs to view their package design work like they do advertising or social media - as a marketing investment with a clear and measurable financial return'.

Web site: www.nielsen.com .