MetrixLab Debuts Emotional Response Measure

Digital research agency MetrixLab has launched Avaya, a tool to help users understand consumers' emotional reactions to brands and promotions.

Designed as an add-on module to the company's existing portfolio of research solutions, which include brand engagement and product innovation, Avaya works with eight emotion groups or 'domains' identified as most relevant to marketing activities: positive emotions joy/excitement, surprise/amazement, trust/admiration and love/passion; and negatives fear/terror, anger/rage, sadness/grief and disgust/loathing. After extensive research, the company chose avatars to help respondents communicate their emotions quickly and intuitively, and avoid giving them time to rationalize how they feel or requiring the use of words.

The solution produces scores for each of the eight emotional 'domains' but also combines them into a single 'Emotional Intensity Score', which it can benchmark against its database and against key competitors.

Senior Director for Knowledge and Innovation Alexander Kleijngeld comments: 'The challenge until now is that research techniques that directly and passively capture emotional resonance haven't been scalable, efficient or suited to an online context. Avaya is the first solution that overcomes those challenges. It offers a balanced view between positive and negative emotional archetypes, which is relevant in a marketing and communications context'.

MetrixLab is part of the Macromill Group and is online at www.metrixlab.com .