The following research has been prepared by Verrum Limited over the period of two weeks between the dates of 10th and 24th of January 2009 in London, UK.
The purpose of the research was to examine the (subconscious) perceptive human behavior in four different experimental situations. The 44 participants (aged from 25 to 45 years with a gender ratio of men to women 2:9) were divided in 4 groups. Each group was composed of 11 people - 2 men and 9 women*.
The experimental material was composed of 2 static images (that we’re going to call Image 1 and Image 2) presented on a computer screen. Here are the four experimental situations:
- Group 1 observes Image 1.
- Group 2 observes Image 2.
- Group 3 observes Image 1 and Image 2 (in that order).
- Group 4 observes Image 2 and Image1 (in that order).
Each image is viewed for 7 sec. During this time we tracked the movements of the participants’ eyes over the computer screen using eye tracking technology. The heat maps shown below are the visual representations of the areas where the subjects have focused their eyes. After each image presentation the participants are asked two questions.
Question number 1: Which were the elements that have impressed you the most?
Question number 2: Was there a particular color you would buy among the five shown?
N.B. : The two heat maps represent the collective results of all participants.
Here are some of the results and the conclusions of the research:
Group number 1:
67% of all the people from this group were able to evoke the exact order of the colors while 89% can recall the correct prices of the products.
Question number 1: Which were the elements (one or more) that have impressed you the most?
Answers:
Question number 2: Was there a particular color you would buy among the five shown?
Group number 2:
1st question:
.
2nd question:
Group number 3:
1st question about the Image 1:
1st question about the Image 2:
.
2nd question:
After the presentation of image 1:
After the presentation of image 2:
Group number 4:
Question number 1:
After seeing Image 2
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After seeing Image 1
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The five colors - 90% |
The colors – 98% |
The product application on the girl’s face - 87% |
The empty part (where was the girl’s face) – 45% |
The logo - 78% |
The names of the products- 23% |
Question number 2:
After the presentation of the 2nd image:
After the presentation of the 1st image:
Conclusion:
At the end of this research we have come to three main conclusions.
The first one is that in the absence of human face people are more interested in the prices of the products, while in the other situation they are more focused on the products.
Our explanation:
The price is the key element in the first situation (group 1) as it determines whether the client will be interested of the product. The fact that a given product looks good on the model (and its perceived effect on themselves) on the other hand (group 2) has more impact on the client’s choice than the price itself. Thus, people prefer to spend more time looking at the product and making the correct choice than looking at the price and buying the wrong product.
The second conclusion is that people tend to search for the brand’s name only when they can relate the product and its use. When looking at Image 1 the participants compare the five colors (99% of group 1 name the colors as the most important element of the image) while in the case of Image 2 they relate the product and its visual application on the girl’s lips (87% of the group 2 name the girl as important as the colors in Image 2). Once the connection between the colors and the girl is made people tend to look for the brand that unites those two main elements.
Our explanation:
A range of colors can be seen as a unique element interesting enough by itself. One color that is presented with a small sample of colored square and as a makeup at the same time requires curiosity about additional elements in the image.
The last conclusion we’ve made is that once the Image 2 has been seen people tend to find the Image 1 as incomplete.
Our explanation:
Once being exposed to a certain quantity of information (data, facts, photos etc.) people find the exposure to less information as misleading and irrelevant.
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