Visual Attention Analysis (VAA)
Predictive Eye-Tracking Analysis (PET) for Packaging, Apps, Websites and Advertising
Vision One’s Visual Attention Analysis (VAA) is an AI-based predictive eye-tracking analysis system.
It’s an innovative and highly effective tool that’s specifically designed to help marketers optimise their advertising, design, packaging and websites.
Visual Attention Analysis can be incorporated into several communication research services and is included for free in PackProbe.
The AI system allows advertisers and media agencies to measure the visual performance of an execution before it goes live. It’s a powerful and cost-effective insight tool – perfect for analysing attention levels, brand effectiveness and positioning. VAA can also be used on website landing pages to help improve website conversion rates by increasing the visibility of key messages and ‘call to action’ elements.
How Visual Attention (VAA) Analysis Works
Unlike eye-tracking research, predictive eye-tracking analysis technology simulates human vision and generates reports predicting what a real human would most likely look at, based on algorithms developed from numerous eye-tracking studies.
Cleverly designed to closely resemble a short, five-second eye-tracking session (comprising 40 subjects), the algorithms are based on Colour, Orientation, Density/Contrast, Intensity, Size, Text, Skin and Face detection. Quick, versatile and cost-effective, Visual Attention Analysis is typically 92% accurate compared with real eye-tracking data.
Why Visual Attention Analysis?
- Get instant feedback on visuals using AI
- Pre-test your print media, digital ads, packaging designs, shelf layouts and signage
- Turn visual data into actionable insights with predictive eye tracking
- Range of outputs includes: Heat maps, Opacity maps and Gaze plots
- Results at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional eye-tracking.
Our Experts
Heat Maps
The Visual Attention Heat Map is a popular display that shows an image’s most attractive elements as “hot” and “cold” spots.
The Heat map report shows which areas of the original image attract attention, with red (high) and green (medium) used to represent the more appealing aspects.
Opacity Map
The VAA Opacity Map report tones down unattractive information and visually highlights what your viewers are likely to focus on during the first few seconds of visual inspection. The Opacity map does this by using a transparency gradient.
It’s a fantastic visual representation of how products and packaging are viewed and perceived – highlighting the parts of the media with the highest counts (or longest fixations) and shading out the rest. The more transparent an area is, the more likely it is to attract attention.
Use the Opacity report to identify which areas are being perceived and which are being ignored.
Areas of Interest (AOI)
The Areas of Interest report (AOIs) is a premium feature of VAA. It reveals a score predicting the probability that a person will look at a specific area, along with detailed diagnostics explaining why each area is likely to receive attention.
The VAA Score is a summary metric that indicates how salient the visuals are within each specific area of the packaging or media. The value shows the probability of a visual fixation within the first 3-5 seconds, for any given area. A score of 0% means it’s likely to get no attention at all – 100% indicates that a specific area has a high probability of being noticed.
Gaze Plots
The Gaze Plot report visualises a hypothetical scan path to highlight the likely order between elements inside an image. It’s made up of a series of short stops (fixations) that highlight the important elements, along with rapid eye movements (saccades).
As the eyes move between Fixations, each fixation is circled and numbered to show its rank order. The first fixation is marked with the number 1, the second fixation with the number 2, and so on.
Latest Client Testimonials
Citrosuco (Juice)
Vision One assisted us with great agility and quality.
Allianz (Insurance and Asset Management)
Vision One were a pleasure to work with. I enjoyed the whole process start to finish, they managed my expectation perfectly and their level of service was outstanding and their insights were effective. I would recommend them to anyone.
Salcombe Gin (Alcoholic Drinks)
Vision One were excellent to work with throughout the process. They understood our brand and its needs and took on feedback to make changes where necessary. We’re very happy with the level of insight gained.
Silentnight (Beds, Mattresses and Sleep)
Vision One’s BrandVision has given us new and powerful insights – helping us understand our brand health and shape our strategic decisions going forward.
I just want to say thank you so much for the brilliant presentation yesterday. The work you’ve done has really hit home, which will make a massive difference to our work. We’re really grateful!
Vision One delivered exactly what we wanted with no fuss or issues. Every step of the process was easy, hassle-free and the relationship always felt warm. I would recommend them to any charity or organisation wanting to conduct research.
The team were a pleasure to work with. They went above & beyond to deliver an answer to our business issue with tight deadlines and an even tighter budget! I look forward to working with them again!
Research Case Studies
A range of our market research case studies
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Your neuromarketing research questions answered (FAQ)
Find frequently asked questions about Vision One.
Neuromarketing research studies how the brain responds to marketing stimuli such as advertisements, branding, packaging, and product experiences.
Instead of relying only on what consumers say, neuromarketing measures subconscious reactions using tools like EEG, eye tracking, facial coding, and biometric sensors.
This helps brands understand:
- What truly captures attention
- What triggers emotional engagement
- What drives memory and purchase decisions
In short, it reveals the hidden drivers behind consumer behaviour.
Most purchase decisions happen subconsciously. Traditional surveys capture rational explanations, but they often miss emotional and instinctive reactions.
Neuromarketing helps brands:
- Identify what actually captures attention
- Understand emotional responses to advertising
- Improve brand recall and memory
- Optimise packaging, messaging, and creative assets
This allows businesses to design marketing that works with the brain, not against it.
Neuromarketing uses several scientific tools to measure subconscious reactions. Common techniques include:
- Eye Tracking – Measures where consumers look, how long they focus, and what attracts visual attention.
- EEG (Electroencephalography) – Measures brain activity linked to engagement, attention, and memory encoding.
- Facial Coding – Detects emotional responses through micro-expressions.
- Biometric Sensors – Track physiological responses such as heart rate and skin conductance to measure emotional arousal.
- Implicit Associations Tests (IAT) – measures automatic associations between concepts in the consumer’s mind.
Together, these tools provide a multi-layered understanding of consumer reactions.
Together, these tools allow researchers to understand:
- What consumers notice
- What they feel
- What they remember
- What they associate with a brand
This combination provides a much deeper understanding of consumer decision-making and marketing effectiveness.
The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures automatic associations between concepts in the consumer’s mind.
Participants quickly categorise words or images, and the speed of their responses reveals subconscious biases and brand perceptions.
IAT research is commonly used to assess:
- Brand associations (e.g., premium vs budget, trustworthy vs risky)
- Emotional positioning of brands
- Implicit attitudes toward products or advertising
Because responses are based on reaction time rather than self-reporting, IAT uncovers insights that traditional surveys often miss.
Facial coding analyses micro-expressions in facial muscles to detect emotional reactions such as:
- Happiness
- Surprise
- Disgust
- Confusion
This allows researchers to evaluate authentic emotional responses to marketing stimuli.
Organisations partner with Vision One and our advanced research unit because we provide:
- Independent, unbiased research
- Focused on innovation within research and marketing
- Senior-level involvement on every project
- Transparency and close partnering
- Clear commercial interpretation
- Actionable, board-ready outputs
- Long-term brand tracking expertise
- Delivering research excellence for over 25 years
We focus on delivering clarity, not just data.
We work with companies of all sizes, from small businesses (SMEs) to the world’s largest international brands, and market research is important to them all.
For any business, market research agencies possess a deep understanding of research and how to achieve the desired results. It’s about understanding customer needs, market demand, pricing strategies and industry trends.
UK market research companies support innovation, validates business ideas, and ensures that marketing messages are effectively targeted. Businesses that invest in consistent market research are better positioned to respond to market changes, create and attract loyal customers and maximise ROI.
Here are the addresses for some of the UK’s top market research companies in London, specialising in full-service research
- Vision One Research – 85-87 Bayham Street, Camden, London, NE1 0AG
- Brandspeak – 1st Floor, London, W8 6SN
- Ipsos – 3 Thomas More St, London, E1W 1YW
- Savanta – 60 Great Portland St, London, W1W 7RT
- System1 – 52 Bedford Row Holborn, London, WC1R 4LR
- Kantar – 30 Stamford St, London, SE1 9LQ
- B2B International – 10 Triton St, London, NW1 3BF
Vision One is committed to ethical practices in market research by adhering to industry standards and guidelines set by organisations such as the Market Research Society (MRS) and ESOMAR. This includes obtaining informed consent from participants, ensuring data confidentiality, and maintaining transparency throughout the research process.
Checkout the MRS food testing guidelines
By prioritising ethical considerations, Vision One builds trust with clients and participants alike, ensuring that the research conducted is not only effective but also responsible and respectful of individual rights.
Talk to our Eye Tracking Specialists
If you would like to discus VAA , eye-tracking or any other research requirements you might want to talk about – then please drop us a line.
Or call us on 0203 693 3150.
Need the insights to make smarter, more confident decisions?
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email us at mail@visionone.co.uk
or call us on 0203 693 3150
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