Understanding the emotions of consumers

Nuremberg, June 3, 2009 – In order to better understand consumers and their emotions, GfK-Nürnberg e.V. is developing an automatized, software-based system for recording facial muscle movements, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) and Professor Klaus R. Scherer of the University of Geneva.

Developing innovative methods is of central importance to the GfK Group, in order that it can offer its clients new and progressive approaches to market research. GfK is currently working on a procedure that records and analyzes human emotions via automatized and software-based detection of facial expressions. GfK-Nürnberg e.V., in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) and Professor Klaus R. Scherer, Professor of Psychology at the University of Geneva and director of the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Affective Sciences, a system that precisely records even the smallest muscle movements in people’s faces. Since emotions can often be expressed in facial expressions, emotions can be recorded spontaneously and in real time using this system.

This new technology is currently being deployed in a feasibility study, in order to investigate how the feelings "interest”, "enjoyment” and "disgust” can be read from facial expressions by recording even very subtle muscle movements.

Since people’s emotions have an influence on their cognitive processes and therefore also on their purchase decisions, measuring emotions has become an increasingly important issue within market research. In the areas of communications research or new product development, a system that measures emotions accurately and is workable in practice can provide new and unique insights: what a person actually feels when watching an advertisement, how the experienced communication affects the emotional image of a brand or which emotions a person experiences when testing a new product – these are only a few examples of how the new automatized measuring of emotions could be applied.

Once the feasibility study has been completed, it is intended to develop the new system so that it recognizes all emotions that are relevant for market research. A further developmental stage could be the combination of the automatized and software-based detection of facial expressions with verbal measurement of emotions, i.e. vocal analysis.

GfK-Nürnberg e.V.

GfK-Nürnberg e.V. was established in 1934 to promote market research. Its membership consists of approximately 600 companies and individuals. The purpose of GfK-Nürnberg e.V. is to carry out basic research, to promote the training and further education of market researchers and to regularly produce studies to be made available to the membership. With a 58% stake, GfK-Nürnberg e.V. is the majority shareholder of GfK SE.
More information: www.gfk-verein.com

The GfK Group

The GfK Group is the No. 4 market research organization worldwide. Its activities cover the three business sectors of Custom Research, Retail and Media. In financial year 2008, the GfK Group achieved sales of EUR 1,220.4 million. The Group has a total of 150 operating companies in more than 100 countries. Of the 10,267 employees (as at March 31, 2009), more than 80% are based outside Germany. For further information, visit our website: www.gfk.com

NCCR Affective Sciences

NCCR Affective Sciences is the first national research center worldwide to be devoted to the interdisciplinary study of emotions and their effects on human behavior and society. It is financed by the Swiss government, managed by the Swiss National Science Foundation for the promotion of scientific research, and based at the University of Geneva. For further information, please visit the following website: www.affective-sciences.org

Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS)

Established in 1985 and based in Erlangen, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) has a staff complement of 585 and is the largest Fraunhofer Institute in the Fraunhofer Society. It became known globally following the development of the mp3 and MPEG AAC audio coding procedures. In close cooperation with clients from industry, the scientists carry out research and development work in the following areas: digital radio, audio and multimedia technology, digital cinema technology, design automation, integrated circuits and sensor systems, wired, wireless and optical networks, localization and navigation, high-speed cameras, ultra-high resolution X-ray technology, image processing, medical technology and information and communication technology for the logistic services industry.
For further information, please see www.iis.fraunhofer.de.

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90419 Nuremberg
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