What makes point of sale communication effective? For neuromarketers, being able to answer this question effectively means that you must control for unpredictable consumer behavior by designing focused testing environments and stimuli. This is where VR can come in handy.
Unravel Research, one of the fastest growing neuromarketing companies in the Netherlands, uses neuromarketing research to predict and influence consumer behavior in advertising, UX and retail environments. In this webinar, co-founder Tom van Bommel demonstrates how Unravel answered this research question with a POS performance study using VR and EEG with iMotions. He will walk through how Unravel evaluated and improved clients’ POS material while avoiding common pitfalls associated with biosensor-based research, such as movement noise from EEG, linking visual attention to the correct stimuli within the field of view, and pinpointing which data correspond to motivation and engagement. This webinar is for any researcher interested in bringing VR into their neuromarketing toolbox — or who has already done so!
And if that wasn’t enough, he also shares his best insights from consumer neuroscience to increase POS effectiveness. So we top this webinar off with valuable takeaways for you to apply straight away.
Webinar Summary
Tom van Bommel from Unravel Research discussed how virtual reality can be used to overcome some of the classic challenges in neuromarketing research. In his study, a VR supermarket environment was created to test point‐of‐sale displays in two ways: by letting respondents shop freely (simulating natural behavior) and by presenting stand‐alone, randomized displays (a “beauty contest” format) that isolate the effect of specific design elements.
By integrating biosensors (eye tracking built into VR headsets and EEG using a neuromarketing‐grade device) into the experiment, his team was able to capture both behavioral data (such as where and how long a person looks at a display) and brain responses—specifically, metrics like prefrontal asymmetry (an indicator of approach motivation) and overall engagement.
Tom also explained the practical challenges of working in VR research. These include:
- Balancing realism and experimental control (a problem in both traditional lab studies and in‐store research).
- Managing data quality issues such as head movement artifacts in EEG signals.
- Designing a VR environment that is both realistic and sufficiently neutral (by building a generic supermarket in Unity rather than using branded environments or 360° photography).
- Deciding on the optimal visual design elements (such as using first‐person perspective images, minimal text, and proper sign placement) to ensure that the stimuli capture the intended attention.
During the Q&A, he further detailed technical considerations—like the choice of VR headsets with integrated eye tracking, how to label and clean biosensor data, and even ideas on incorporating additional sensory cues (sound and scent) into future research.
Key Takeaways
- VR Combines Realism with Experimental Control (00:08:55–00:09:02):
VR offers the best of both worlds by simulating a realistic shopping environment while allowing the researcher to control and systematically vary the stimuli. - Innovative Experimental Design (00:10:44–00:10:54):
The study used two modes—a free shopping mode to mimic natural behavior and a randomized “beauty contest” display mode—to isolate the effects of point‐of‐sale signage on consumer attention. - Integration of Eye Tracking and EEG (00:12:00–00:12:05):
By embedding eye tracking and EEG sensors in the VR headset, the research captured precise measures of where consumers looked and how their brains responded (e.g., via prefrontal asymmetry for approach motivation). - Handling Data Quality and Artifacts (00:39:00–00:40:00):
Due to head movements and other motion artifacts in a VR setting, careful data labeling and noise reduction are essential to extract reliable EEG metrics. - Impact of Visual Design on Consumer Response (00:29:04–00:30:00):
Visual elements are critical—using first-person perspective images and keeping text minimal (ideally 3–5 words) greatly enhance the effectiveness of a point‐of‐sale display. - Importance of Signage Design and Placement (00:34:00–00:35:00):
Larger, centrally placed signs attract more attention than smaller or peripherally located ones, emphasizing that both the type of sign and its location matter in influencing shopper behavior. - Custom-Built VR Environments Versus 360° Photography (00:42:00–00:43:00):
While 360° photography is simpler to deploy, creating a fully interactive 3D environment in Unity provides a more detailed, immersive, and controllable setting—at the cost of greater development time and complexity. - Future Multi-Sensory Enhancements (00:49:00–00:50:00):
Although the current research focuses mainly on visual stimuli, Tom highlighted the potential to include sound and even scent in VR experiments to simulate a more fully immersive shopping experience. - Client Perspectives on VR vs. Real-World Research (00:57:00–00:59:00):
Despite a traditional preference for real-world studies, clients are increasingly interested in VR research because it is cost-effective and enables the testing of multiple conditions within a single, controlled session.
