Advanced Research Unit
Advanced Consumer Insights Unit – Neuro & Behavioural Science
Reliable data. Clear insights. Confident decisions.
Whatever your business challenge, our Advanced Research Unit has the insight tools to reach new levels of understanding. Our award-winning team has the tools and skills to get the answers your business needs. We’re up for a challenge, so why not put us to the test?
(Explore our services below – click on the image for more info)
Tab Contents
Eye-tracking
Biometrics and Emotion Analysis
Vision One uses sophisticated, cutting-edge technology to measure people’s sensory and facial responses to stimuli, indicating how they really feel about a product, brand, or service.
Biometrics measure the intensity of emotional engagement with a product or service by reading facial expressions (FACE), measuring skin conductivity (Galvanic Skin Response), or measuring heart rate variability (HRV); this is similar to how lie detectors work.
People Watching
Ethnographic Research
As behavioural researchers, we specialise in observation and ethnography to gain a clear and unobtrusive view of how consumers naturally behave in the real world.
Observation research involves unobtrusively and naturalistically observing your customers’ behaviour – to determine how they naturally respond to a product, service or situation. This can also be done remotely using our Field of View glasses, allowing customers to record their behaviour in an unobtrusive, naturalistic way. These insights often provide the most natural, compelling and actionable insights possible.
Shopper journeys involve tracking consumers through a physical space using GPS technology to determine which aspects of an environment or experience are approached or avoided, giving you insights about where best to place your products.
Brain Waves
Neuromarketing Research
Vision One has a sophisticated neuroimaging offering, enabling us to measure your brain waves in response to different stimuli in different environments.
We have a complete suite of EEG (mobile, stationary), with expertise in recording and complex analysis, and expertise in fMRI recording and analysis, with our ARU members specialising in both EEG and fMRI. This can provide you with a clear, true picture of what parts of the brain are activated when processing products, brand or services, telling us why people make certain decisions.
Sensing
Biometrics and Emotion Analysis
Vision One uses sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to measure people’s sensory and facial responses to stimuli, indicating how they really feel about a product, brand or service.
Biometrics measure the intensity of emotional engagement towards a product or service by reading their facial expressions (FACE), measuring the conductivity of their skin (Galvanic Skin Response) or heart rate variability (HRV); this is similar to how lie detectors work.
Welcome to the Advanced Research Unit (ARU)
We are an award-winning team of behavioural scientists and cognitive neuroscientists who specialise in finding actionable insights to your most challenging research questions.
Vision One’s Advanced Research Unit (ARU) comprises open-minded, creative, and scientific individuals. The team benefits from a rare and winning combination of extensive and varied industry experience, outside-the-box creative thinking, and the ability to utilise advanced practical research methods in our research-grade laboratory. We also benefit from a full suite of eye-tracking equipment (stationary, mobile, online, and field-of-view).
The ARU specialise in helping you understand the conscious and unconscious decisions and motivations that drive your consumers’ purchasing behaviours. This knowledge will help you adapt and grow your business, which is essential in an ever-changing world.
Why does the ARU exist?
In the real world, at Vision One, we recognise that many complex issues can affect your business and that a bespoke, advanced research method is often necessary to deliver clear, actionable insights. Every project is bespoke and designed for the challenge in hand, wherever in the world it is required.
- ISO 20252—Our quality standards ensure that we seek to work only with the best partners to maintain the highest quality standards possible.
- Award-winning – Vision One is a three-time winner of the Best Market Research Agency award and winner of the FSB award for best product innovation.
- Deeper understanding (beyond the conscious mind) – The majority of our decisions occur subconsciously and cannot be accessed through self-reported measures.
- Consultancy – We offer a range of consultancy and training solutions.
Recent client testimonials
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!
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.
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.
Fantastic service. Will go the extra mile to accommodate your needs and fit within changing timelines and requirements.
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.
Power X (EV Charging)
We appreciate the great work your team has done, and it really helped us understand EV users in the UK
BASIS Technologies (Software)
This was one of the most successful engagements I have had with a research company in my career
Research case studies
A range of our advanced research unit and neuromarketing case studies
Recent Case Studies
Your ARU 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.
Contact Us
We are quick, responsive, and above all, our research is customised precisely to your needs, ensuring you get exactly what you need every time.
Email us at mail@visionone.co.uk
Complete the enquiry form.
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Latest ARU and neuromarketing news
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