The Metaverse

Our journey to the metaverse began in March of this year, where we gathered at the University of Bayreuth with renowned researchers, practitioners, and students to explore its potential. We delved into how elements of the metaverse can be utilized in the present day and discussed the opportunities and threats it presents.

The seminar revealed that the concept of the metaverse is not entirely new, as people have already had early experiences with it through the art of church painting. The only significant change lies in the advancements of technology over the past few years.

However, the metaverse does come with its drawbacks. Apart from the challenges of data protection, distinguishing between real and virtual experiences can be a complex task.

Alongside the thought-provoking discussions, CEO Michael Schießl introduced the eye square Meta AI tool in collaboration with media artist Dennis Rudolph from Berlin. Furthermore, participants had the opportunity to explore various metaverse platforms using virtual reality glasses at the NEDGEX and Bi.Sigma stands.

The Power of “Meaningful Attention”

The “MEMEX NY Conference” this year presented our annual theme “Meaningful Attention” with a clear focus on the transformative concept. The conference aimed to challenge the industry’s reliance on technical metrics in advertising and market research, intending to raise awareness about the digital human experience among media professionals, advertisers, and marketers through collaborative energy and diverse perspectives from industry, technology, science, and art.

Keynote speaker Michael Schiessl set the direction with his presentation on the visionary concept of “System X,” emphasizing the immersive nature of digital communication and the crucial role of attracting and maintaining human attention in this dynamic landscape. Discussions revolved around the fragmentation of attention in the digital age and the dedicated efforts to measure and analyze these functions to promote unity.

COO Philipp Reiter emphasized the advertising industry’s responsibility to prioritize meaningful attention and encouraged positive actions and nurturing long-term relationships with consumers. Max Kalehoff discussed the evolution from the mere possibility of attention to achieving attentive reach in marketing analysis.

Horst Stipp provided a significant highlight by sharing insights into the “Attention Verification Project,” an initiative aimed at establishing standards for measuring attention. Jeff Bander, Chief Revenue Officer of Eye Square, explored further changes and challenges in attention measurement and introduced the groundbreaking “InContext” technology. The conference concluded with a thought-provoking presentation on “Gaze Estimation,” which focused on attention research through device cameras to provide insights into consumers’ real experiences. Overall, MEMEX NY 2023 was a pioneering event that emphasized the industry’s crucial shift towards meaningful attention and fostered cooperative collaboration in a new digital era.

ARF Membership: Engaging in innovative Attention Research

eye square is renowned for its expertise in implicit research and eye-tracking technology, aiming to contribute to innovation in measuring “meaningful attention” in the global digital advertising market. Through the utilization of technologies like Ad2Cart and InContext, as well as the impact of our neurosemiotic model, a deeper understanding of customer attention on cognitive and intuitive levels is made possible.

In collaboration with the ARF, we seek to raise awareness of our innovative technologies and emphasize the importance of measuring meaningful attention for effective advertising. This partnership seamlessly aligns with our vision to play a greater role in shaping the direction of the advertising industry. Ephraim (Jeff) Bander, President of eye square USA, expresses enthusiasm for the partnership and highlights the shared values of innovation and a vision for advertising that goes beyond superficial measurements.

Our company has achieved a significant milestone this year. We have become a full member of the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF). This move clearly demonstrates eye square’s commitment to advancing the industry in the transition towards more meaningful tracking, measurement, and analysis of consumer attention in digital advertising channels.

In the dynamic world of digital marketing, distinguishing between empty behaviors and meaningful attention is crucial for the success of campaigns. Jeff Bander emphasizes the need to shift from simple metrics to a focus on “measurement of meaningful attention” in order to track consumer reactions that lead to concrete actions. This approach ensures a more results-oriented strategy, enabling marketers to identify crucial moments of interaction with ads and facilitate more effective campaign adjustments.

Enhanced attention in Advertising – Our participation in AUDIENCExSCIENCE New York 2023

The AUDIENCExSCIENCE Conference 2023, held in June in New York, highlighted the increasing importance of advertising attention in campaign planning. Advertising attention was once unthinkable but has now become a crucial element for companies, driven by advancements in neuroscience, biometrics, gaze tracking “in the Wild,” and AI-driven diagnoses of reactions to digital media.

The conference addressed key questions regarding the accuracy of cost-effective surrogates compared to more expensive direct human measurements. Discussions also delved into the precision of measurements related to positive/negative emotions associated with attention, as well as differences in attention levels across different devices and surfaces.

Jeff Bander and Matthias Rothensee, Ph.D. – Chief Scientific Officer & Partner, contributed to the discussion with a presentation on “Meaningful Attention” and the complexity of human perception. They shed light on how attention measurement has evolved over time and emphasized the dynamic interplay between technology and human experience.

MEMEX Berlin 2023-Mastering the art of “Meaningful Attention” in Branding and Advertising

The Berlin MEMEX Conference 2023 delved deep into “Meaningful Attention” and explored user perception and eye-tracking in relation to branding and advertising through a series of presentations. Significant collaborations were expected, including the interest of participants like Moshe Satanovsky from GEO-IT, particularly in the field of speech recording and speech recognition.

The conference emphasized the intersection of technology and user engagement, presenting talks on advertising effectiveness, the impact of context and creativity, and the role of social media. Key topics included brands that prioritize minorities, the influence of social media on user behavior, and the ecological footprint of the digital ecosystem.

The MEMEX Berlin 2023 also provided a platform for discussing how TV advertising, which adapts to viewer context and provides authentic content, generates high impact and attention in times of media overload through other digital channels. Overall, the conference painted a comprehensive picture of a growing awareness in the industry to utilize the unique form of “Meaningful Attention” for a more effective and responsible approach to advertising in the digital age.

AI-Experience-How can we effectively manage the experience of users and consumers in the AI era?

Through extensive interviews, the eye square AI Experience Lab has examined how consumers experience interactions with AI. We have also developed a model that describes their current state of mind.

In a recent whitepaper, we shed light on the intersection of human perception and artificial intelligence, revealing the intricacies of consumer interaction with AI and the transformative influence of digital evolution.

We have delved deep into the profound dimensions of perception, implicit emotions, and explicit cognitions, and have developed scientific insights that can contribute to enhancing interaction and engagement with AI-based products or services in the hidden orchestrations of our subconscious mind in the dance with AI.

The eye square AI Lab goes beyond mere observation and paves the way to reshape consumer experiences. From chatbots to autonomous shopping assistants to interactive metaverse ads, we have witnessed the metamorphosis of AI into a tailored ally that meets the needs of consumers. Beyond the present lies the perspective of corporate foresight, where AI and the virtuality/metaverse duo emerge as crucial forces and how these trends will redefine the landscape and consumer behavior in the next 5-10 years.

Taping into the potential of AI avatars in market research through conversations with virtual experts

“MEMEX jr.” is the latest AI project by eye square, focusing primarily on knowledge management. A team of data scientists and artists has been working on this technology. The AI avatar, based on LLM, leverages the expertise and knowledge of eye square’s top scientists and consultants.