Back To Top



Emotions



Driven by the curiosity that characterizes those of us who are somewhat geeks of the technologywe turn to the Everis Foundation to the presentation of a device that could change the way advertising is tested: the usennsThe new device, connected to the fingers, is capable of measuring the wearer’s emotions wirelessly and almost in real time.

This ring is not only as good as it sounds, but it also works: we were able to see live how, with a box the size of a pack of chewing gum that is attached to the fingers with a rubber band, cardiovascular activity data can be transmitted to a computer via wi-fi, electrodermal and movement of the subject in question. That is, usenns can detect the variations in the emotional state of a person, both conscious and unconscious, and therefore, we can know that “feels” to a stimulus to which it is being subjected: see a adto give your opinion on the design products, strolling through a shopping mall or even browsing a web page web. As any reader of this magazine can imagine, really knowing how a consumer feels in the above situations (and without asking them!) has infinite potential for marketing research and product or advertising pre-testing.

This incredible gadget has seen the light of day thanks to the innovative efforts of BitBraina Spanish company located in Zaragoza, and as one of its founders explained to us, Maria LopezIt has not been a bed of roses to get from the idea to a product that is already in the manufacturing phase. I must admit that it made me think that with what it costs here to make a simple innovative advertising campaign, innovating directly with the product on your own must be a titanic effort. Hats off to these innovators.

Returning to the device: the fact that it can capture emotions without having to ask the subject is not trivial. Right now, the only way to do a test is to expose a group of subjects to the product or ad in question and then ask them what their feelings were. And so there is always the risk that the interviewees are not sincere (whoever has not lied in a survey should cast the first stone). This ability to measure the variation of unconscious emotions allows us to know which parts of a spot have the greatest impact on a group of people, for example, or to know in which parts of a movie viewers lose interest. All this without having to interrupt or ask questions afterwards, and without making gross mistakes: I am recalling the anecdote of a product that failed miserably at launch in Japan despite the fact that previous tests had been magnificent: respondents lied that they loved the product (when the opposite was true) simply to be polite, so as not to look bad for the brand they were testing. Surely the brand in question would have gladly paid (and much more) the approximately 1,800 euros that this first product using usenns technology will be marketed with, since it is only the appetizer of a more sophisticated one that is on the way: a headband that is attached to the head and that will allow monitoring brain activity. This promises not only to know if something excites, but what the emotion will be (positive or negative) and even its intensity.

I think this is another step forward for technology but a giant leap for market research companies.

Daniel Megías