Effective virtual reality environments for presentation of marketing materials

• US 8,548,852 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2012
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran, Knight, Robert T., Ratnakar, Dev
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US13/569,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.41
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements

Abstract

Effective virtual reality environments including in-store virtual reality environments such as supermarket aisles, store shelves, cooler displays, etc. are generated using frameworks and customer layout information. Marketing materials are integrated with the virtual reality environment while introducing imperfections and/or other cues of realism to create a virtual reality environment representation. Imperfections may include misaligned marketing materials, product label blemishes, packages placed slightly askew, etc. Sensory experiences output to the user via the virtual reality environment representation elicit interactivity with a user and user movements, motions, and responses are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing materials and/or the virtual reality environment representations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

integrating, with a processor, marketing material into a first virtual reality environment;

introducing an imperfection into the first virtual reality environment to create a second virtual reality environment, the imperfection comprising the marketing material placed askew, the marketing material misaligned, the marketing material having a blemish, the marketing material facing a different direction than a second marketing material or the marketing material looking worn; and

determining an effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a first event related potential based on first neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determining a second event related potential based on second neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment; and

calculating a differential event related potential based on the first event related potential and the second event related potential, wherein determining the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment is based on the differential event related potential.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining a third event related potential based on third neuro-response data from a second subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determining a second event related potential based on fourth neuro-response data from the second subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment;

calculating a second differential event related potential based on the third event related potential and the fourth event related potential;

calculating an average of the first differential event related potential and the second differential event related potential, wherein determining the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment is based on the average.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first frequency band and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second frequency band different than the first.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first brain region and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second brain region different than the first.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a priming level of the marketing material based on the differential event related potential.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment to determine a mental state of the subject; and

introducing new marketing material into the second virtual reality environment when the mental state is one or more of a state of low attention, low engagement or low interest.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the new marketing material is dynamically introduced into the second virtual reality environment.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the marketing material as the subject moves through the second virtual reality environment.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing first neuro-response data from a subject during exposure of the subject to the second virtual reality environment;

analyzing second neuro-response data from the subject during exposure of the subject to a natural environment;

comparing the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data to determine an effectiveness of the second virtual reality environment.

11. A system comprising:

a processor to integrate a marketing material into a first virtual reality environment and to introduce an imperfection into the first virtual reality environment to create a second virtual reality environment, the imperfection comprising the marketing material placed askew, the marketing material misaligned, the marketing material having a blemish, a first aspect of the marketing material facing a different direction than a second aspect of the marketing material or the marketing material looking worn; and

an analyzer to determine an effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the analyzer is to:

determine a first event related potential based on first neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determine a second event related potential based on second neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment; and

calculate a differential event related potential based on the first event related potential and the second event related potential, wherein determining the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment is based on the differential event related potential.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the analyzer is to:

determine a third event related potential based on third neuro-response data from a second subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determine a second event related potential based on fourth neuro-response data from the second subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment;

calculate a second differential event related potential based on the third event related potential and the fourth event related potential; and

calculate an average of the first differential event related potential and the second differential event related potential, wherein determining the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment is based on the average.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first frequency band and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second frequency band different than the first.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first brain region and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second brain region different than the first.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the analyzer is to determine a priming level of the marketing material based on the differential event related potential.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the analyzer is to analyze neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment to determine a mental state of the subject, and the processor is to introduce new marketing material into the second virtual reality environment when the mental state is one or more of a state of low attention, low engagement or low interest.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the new marketing material is dynamically introduced into the second virtual reality environment.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is to change the marketing material as the subject moves through the second virtual reality environment.

20. A machine readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

integrate marketing material into a first virtual reality environment;

introduce an imperfection into the first virtual reality environment to create a second virtual reality environment, the imperfection comprising the marketing material placed askew, the marketing material misaligned, the marketing material having a blemish, the marketing material facing a different direction than a second marketing material or the marketing material looking worn; and

determine an effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

determine a first event related potential based on first neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determine a second event related potential based on second neuro-response data from the subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment; and

calculate a differential event related potential based on the first event related potential and the second event related potential, wherein the machine is to determine the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment based on the differential event related potential.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

determine a third event related potential based on third neuro-response data from a second subject exposed to the first virtual reality environment;

determine a second event related potential based on fourth neuro-response data from the second subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment;

calculate a second differential event related potential based on the third event related potential and the fourth event related potential; and

calculate an average of the first differential event related potential and the second differential event related potential, wherein the machine is to determine the effectiveness of the marketing material in the second virtual reality environment based on the average.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first frequency band and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second frequency band different than the first.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the first neuro-response data is measured in a first brain region and the second neuro-response data is measured in a second brain region different than the first.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine a priming level of one or more of the marketing material based on the differential event related potential.

26. The medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions cause the machine to analyze neuro-response data from a subject exposed to the second virtual reality environment to determine a mental state of the subject, and to introduce new marketing material into the second virtual reality environment when the mental state is one or more of a state of low attention, low engagement or low interest.

27. The medium of claim 20, wherein the new marketing material is dynamically introduced into the second virtual reality environment.

28. The medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the machine to change the marketing materials as the subject moves through the second virtual reality environment.

29. A method comprising:

analyzing first neuro-response data from a subject during exposure of the subject to a natural environment;

analyzing second neuro-response data from a subject during exposure of the subject to a virtual reality environment;

determining a first event related potential based on the first neuro-response data;

determining a second event related potential based on the second neuro-response data;

calculating a differential event related potential based on the first event related potential and the second event related potential; and

determining the effectiveness of the virtual reality environment based on the differential event related potential.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein marketing material is integrated into the natural environment and a facsimile of the marketing material is integrated into the virtual reality environment.