Permanent link for A Look at Techfluence Talks with Dr. Ewa Maslowska on November 12, 2024

Dr. Ewa Maslowska, PhD, visited our students and staff this Wednesday, November 6th 2024 on Zoom with her presentation, Studying Attention To Media Content Across Devices: Implications for Advertising, the first of our Techfluence Talks guest speaker series in the Biometrics Lab.

About Dr. Ewa Maslowska

Ewa is an Associate Professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is also an Affiliate in the Institute of Communications Research, Informatics, and Center for Social and Behavioral Science. Ewa studies people and brands on digital platforms. She also uses experiments and trace data to investigate the effects of (algorithmic) personalization and eWOM on consumers’ attention, perceptions, and decision making. Her current projects are investigating dark patterns and fake online reviews. Ewa received her PhD in Communication from the University of Amsterdam and her MA in Psychology from the Jagiellonian University. 

Presentation Recap

Ewa’s presentation taught students about biometrics research techniques, history, and ethics. First, she explained various biometric research metrics including eye tracking, galvanic skin response, heart rate, and facial expression analysis. She went on to discuss her work specifically looking at eye tracking, including fixations, gaze points, time spent, heatmaps, areas of interest, and revisits. These measures help us to learn how people process information, and what they are engaged with on the screen. Her own work has focused on themes of e-commerce, information processing, preference formation, decision making, and learning. 

Ewa also discussed the evolution of digital media and biometrics technology. She shared fascinating insights, such as that people tend to focus on pictures in desktop ads, and headings on mobile devices. She expressed that there are cultural and behavioral differences in the way we express emotion, and it’s important to consider these factors when analyzing biometric data. Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of ethical use of biometrics in advertising, as it can potentially be invasive to the user.

After her thorough presentation, audience members asked thoughtful questions about using biometrics with surveys and interviews, the benefits of teaching advertising and public relations students about biometrics, and AI/privacy concerns with biometrics.

What’s Next for the Lab?

Stay tuned for Winter semester 2025, in which the AdPR Biometrics Lab will be hosting another guest speaker for Techfluence Talks. In the meantime, you can get updates from the lab through our website www.gvsu.edu/soc/biometrics and follow us on Instagram at @gvsubiometricslab. You can read more about Dr. Ewa Maslowska at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign's website.

Thank you for visiting us, Dr. Ewa!

Posted by Georgia Hessel on Permanent link for A Look at Techfluence Talks with Dr. Ewa Maslowska on November 12, 2024.

Permanent link for Systematic Review of Eye Tracking on October 4, 2024

Here are some of the latest trends in eye tracking research, as it pertains to consumer behavior.

Click here to read the full article.

Categories: Biometrics News Biometrics Research
Posted by Georgia Hessel on Permanent link for Systematic Review of Eye Tracking on October 4, 2024.

Permanent link for Research Finds "Most Annoying Advertisements" on October 4, 2024

Advertisements are at least a little annoying, and advertisers can even corroborate that idea. However, a new study by the Department of Management Science and Technology at the University of Patras in Greece determined which ads are considered the most annoying by young digital natives.

51 participants were asked to navigate a website, on which various ads were displayed on different pages. Each of the ads was a different style: right rail, right rail animated, non-modal, modal, banner, intra content with content reorganization, and intra content without content reorganization. (See each type below)

After navigating the website, participants were asked which ads were most annoying. The findings concluded that 72.5% of users found the modal (popup) advertisement annoying, followed by intra content with content reorganization ads, which bothered 13.7% of users. Meanwhile, right rail and nonmodal ads were considered the least annoying. 

How does this relate to biometrics?

While the participants were skimming the website, their eye movement was being tracked. The data showed that while individuals were most annoyed by the modal ad, they looked at it extremely quickly when it arrived on screen, looked at it for a long time (relative to other ad types), and dwelled on it for more than 50% of the time it was on screen, nearly 40% higher than the next highest dwell time of an ad, which is intra content with content reorganization. Despite this, it is notable that modal advertisements were rarely revisited, whereas other ad types had a much more significant amount of return views. 

What does this mean for advertisers?

When advertising towards a younger, more technologically literate audience, it is important to consider the negative impacts of advertising. While modal ads may scream “buy me!” and catch every viewer’s attention, the negative impact of interrupting a user’s experience on a website may not outweigh the benefits.

On the other hand, right-rail advertisements are a great way to remain noninvasive while getting a viewer’s message across.

Fun Fact: In this study, participants revisited right rail ads an average of 3.44 times but only revisited animated right rail ads 0.25 times. Next time you create a right rail ad, consider that simple may be best!

Check out the original article here.

Categories: Biometrics Research
Posted by Georgia Hessel on Permanent link for Research Finds "Most Annoying Advertisements" on October 4, 2024.

Permanent link for New Grad Assistant in Lab on September 24, 2024

GVSU’s Biometrics Lab in the School of Communications has a new member joining the team!

Meet Georgia Hessel, she/her, a current graduate school student studying for her master’s in communications. Georgia received her undergraduate degree double majoring in Advertising and Public Relations as well as Film and Video in Winter of 2024.

During her undergrad, she was president of STAGE, GV’s theatre club, for two years, and directed the club’s first musical, Legally Blonde, winning the Outstanding President Award at GVSU’s Student Life Awards. She was also on the creative team for GVSU’s 2022-2023 NSAC team, and was a very active member in the Film and Video community, production designing, directing, and producing various classroom and personal projects.

Outside of school, Georgia loves to paint, craft, and collect plants. She has recently taken up her grandparents’ hobby of flower design, and has been enjoying entering competitions this past summer.

As the Graduate Assistant for the Biometrics Lab, Georgia will be responsible for continuing professor research at the university, creating blog content and instructional videos, running lab tests, and leading classroom outreach initiatives. 

Meet Georgia in the lab at Lake Superior Hall Room 125.

Posted on Permanent link for New Grad Assistant in Lab on September 24, 2024.

Permanent link for Native Advertising vs. Banner Advertising: An Eye-Tracking Experiment on October 28, 2023

Introduction

Facebook is a crowded marketplace for advertisers, and people often ignore ads. This makes it challenging to grab users' attention on social media.

Research Study

A recent study investigated the connection between ad formats (native vs. banner) and visual attention and conceptual persuasion knowledge. The research also examined the impact of visual attention and conceptual persuasion knowledge on brand recognition and brand attitude.

Methodology

The study used an eye-tracker to track how people viewed ads on a fictitious Facebook page. The eye-tracker recorded 300 measurements per second, which allowed the researchers to understand how people interacted with the ad.

Findings

The study found that people paid more attention to native ads than banner ads on Facebook. Native ads are designed to blend in with the surrounding content, making them less likely to be ignored. Native ads also had a more positive impact on people's attitudes towards the brand.

Implications for Brand Managers

The study has several implications for brand managers. First, they should use more native ads to ensure potential customers see them. Second, native ads can educate potential customers about the brand and its products. Third, brand managers should be aware of the evolving behaviors of consumers on social media. As people become more familiar with native ads, they may learn to ignore them. Therefore, brand managers need to be creative and innovative in using native ads.

Conclusion

Native advertising is a more effective way to reach and engage potential customers on Facebook than banner advertising. Native ads are less likely to be ignored and have a more positive impact on brand attitude. However, brand managers need to be aware of the evolving behaviors of consumers on social media and be creative in using native ads.

Link to the original study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10660-021-09523-7

Categories: Biometrics Research
Posted by Imran Mazid on Permanent link for Native Advertising vs. Banner Advertising: An Eye-Tracking Experiment on October 28, 2023.