Economics Of The Eye: Developing An Alternative To Traditional Packaging Eye Tracking Studies

Logan Robinson

School Name

South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Consumer Science

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Andrew Hurley, Department of Packaging Science, Clemson University

Abstract

Clemson University is one of three universities in the United States that has a Packaging Science program, and the only one which performs eye tracking studies to evaluate packaging within the department. Eye tracking is a very useful tool; however it can be very expensive to perform a study. Even after purchasing the necessary equipment, including IR markers, glasses, and software, which can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, the test products often vary from study to study, meaning that every study incurs a materials cost. (A single section of shelving fully stocked with groceries can easily cost hundreds of dollars.) Partially due to this cost, relatively few groups perform marketing focused eye tracking studies. This research attempted to mitigate the costs of conducting a study while maintaining quality and accuracy in results. Instead of purchasing physical items to stock the shelves for a study, researchers used computer-generated items printed onto paperboard. Researchers were able to conduct a multi-faceted study using this method, which included comparisons of dog food brands and favorite BBQ sauces. Using the printed dog food shelving, researchers were able to determine which brand attracted the most attention. Researchers then compared data from the three-dimensional areas tested and were able to conclude that the printing method yielded comparable and reliable results.

Start Date

4-11-2015 9:00 AM

End Date

4-11-2015 9:15 AM

COinS
 
Apr 11th, 9:00 AM Apr 11th, 9:15 AM

Economics Of The Eye: Developing An Alternative To Traditional Packaging Eye Tracking Studies

Clemson University is one of three universities in the United States that has a Packaging Science program, and the only one which performs eye tracking studies to evaluate packaging within the department. Eye tracking is a very useful tool; however it can be very expensive to perform a study. Even after purchasing the necessary equipment, including IR markers, glasses, and software, which can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, the test products often vary from study to study, meaning that every study incurs a materials cost. (A single section of shelving fully stocked with groceries can easily cost hundreds of dollars.) Partially due to this cost, relatively few groups perform marketing focused eye tracking studies. This research attempted to mitigate the costs of conducting a study while maintaining quality and accuracy in results. Instead of purchasing physical items to stock the shelves for a study, researchers used computer-generated items printed onto paperboard. Researchers were able to conduct a multi-faceted study using this method, which included comparisons of dog food brands and favorite BBQ sauces. Using the printed dog food shelving, researchers were able to determine which brand attracted the most attention. Researchers then compared data from the three-dimensional areas tested and were able to conclude that the printing method yielded comparable and reliable results.