Winning the first glance

The art of ensuring that viewers engage with an intended message and translating this into a winning creative has now become faster and easier with the introduction of a new web-based Visual Attention Service (VAS) from 3M

[UKPRwire, Thu Nov 19 2009] The art of ensuring that viewers engage with an intended message and translating this into a winning creative has now become faster and easier with the introduction of a new web-based Visual Attention Service (VAS) from diversified technology company 3M. For brand owners, packaging designers, advertising, marketing and media agencies, this revolutionary service presents a powerful way to achieve their visual goals. By prediciting which elements of a visual scene are most likely to receive attention, it allows designers to validate their work before committing to production.

In addition to time and cost savings in the creative process, VAS helps agencies to differentiate themselves and re-enforce the value of high quality design to clients. The service has undergone extensive trialing with agencies and consultancies across Europe, including SMP, William Martin Productions and Think Eyetracking in the UK. A free trial is now available at www.3MVAS.com.

“VAS is a patent-pending software service based on 30 years of academic research that facilitates decision making based on unbiased results,” commented Andrew Hicks, European Market Development Manager, 3M’s Display & Graphics division. “It is complementary to traditional methods such as eye-tracking and focus groups, bringing into play an automated, predictive model for determining visual effectiveness in the creative process.”

Agencies can access VAS via a secure web portal. It is easily incorporated into design work-flow with no installation and, following registration, the service can be used on a pay-per-use or subscription basis.

Photos, creative content, packaging concepts and all manner of creative media can be uploaded for testing in different scenes or contexts. VAS rapidly analyses the creative and predicts which elements human visual attention is likely to concentrate on (in what order) and those that are likely to be ignored. This objective feedback helps guide decision making and helps ensure visual goals are met: whether that is helping people find what they are looking for as quickly as possible or, in the case of advertising, to ensure they notice what they are not looking for.

The results are impressive, helping to generate client satisfaction and loyalty across a range of applications. Brand owners, for example, can be confident that their high quality package designs achieve the desired shelf stand-out and, as a result, have an impact on consumers and ultimately drive purchases. Similarly, the objective assessment of creative can help advertising agencies streamline the design process by reducing the number of amends.

Commented Chris Carter, Director – SMP Retail: “We have trialled 3M’s VAS to add further refinement and science to our retail creative output. It has given us the ability to test alternative positioning of creative assets, assess the impact of imagery and optimise copy layout to reflect our desired consumer take-out. We are confident that the resulting creative more accurately reflects our clients’ objectives and how consumers interact with the retail environments that we build.”

According to Sarah Artis of William Martin Productions, “We have found it a useful ‘add-on’ for new clients. Telling them that this service is now available was helpful as many had not been offered anything like this before by other agencies. Our existing clients were also very impressed with the results and were reassured when key information on press adverts we had designed for them featured prominently on the heat map results.”

The service is now available with more information and access to a free trial via www.3MVAS.com.

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3M – practical and ingenious solutions that help our customers succeed
3M is a $25 billion diversified technology company which, since 1902, has been creating innovative products that help make the world healthier, safer and more productive. Well known 3M brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate and Scotch-Brite.

3M employs some 79,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries. It produces thousands of innovative products for customers in dozens of diverse markets and its 45 technology platforms touch nearly every aspect of modern life - the company has applied its expertise in RFID technology to deliver biometric passports; it is using its understanding of the healthcare industry to provide hospitals with infection prevention and detection solutions; and in 2008 it launched the MPro range of pocket projectors.

The UK and Ireland is home to one of the largest 3M subsidiaries outside the USA, employing more than 3,500 people across 18 locations, including 12 manufacturing sites.

Products manufactured in the UK include coated abrasives, occupational health and environmental safety equipment, adhesive tapes, industrial microbiology products, drug delivery systems, high-performance coatings, secure documents and passport scanners.


Press contacts:
Andrew Hicks Beky Cann
3M United Kingdom plc Neesham Public Relations
Tel: + 44 (0) 1344 858587 Tel: +44 (0) 1296 628180
Email: ahicks2@mmm.com Email: bekyc@neesham.co.uk