nir-vana innovation network

Slovenian research laboratory, established in 2016, is specializing in understanding decision-making processes in the framework of human behavior. The laboratory is offering its analytical tools and technical equipment together with research capabilities to European companies and business practitioners, thereby supporting them in designing effective and meaningful campaigns, promotional materials and advertisements to be then disseminated through a number of contemporary media channels including television, newspapers and other printed media, websites.

The technical equipment owned by the laboratory comprises, for instance, eye tracking glasses, instruments for measuring skin response sensors, programs for the analysis of facial expressions, a number of novel analytical instruments and software systems. Such equipment can be used both for conducting quantitative research and for analytical purposes. The laboratory is able to upgrade its offer by granting its know-how and expertise to firms, business practitioners and market professionals in supporting them designing cognitive marketing solutions and product placement strategies, and communicating the right type of contents/messages able to catch the eye of the target customers.

The staff employed in the laboratory consists of researchers, trained professionals and PhD students who are able to provide consulting and advise firms in the domain of cognitive marketing and development strategy (some have expertise in fields such as mixed and augmented reality and human-computer interaction). Staff is capable of designing adequate solutions for complex marketing cases by focusing on the kind of cognitive aspects, which may in turn influence preferences, choices and actions of individuals or groups of customers.

Collaboration with European SMEs and business practitioners is sought under outsourcing agreements, meaning that the Slovenian research laboratory will conduct the most appropriate type of research on the topics specified by the collaborating company (e.g. in the domain of marketing strategy, customer loyalty, product placement strategy, consultancy in the field of cognitive marketing and new trends in advertising).

Advantages & innovations

There are several advantages in the services provided in this offer: • The staff is able to provide analysis and then help defining appropriate marketing strategies on the basis of quantitative cognitive data and any relevant data-set, as well as by considering the cultural characteristics and any peculiarities of each specific case; • The laboratory grants all necessary support in crafting individual or highly personalized marketing strategies thereby helping achieving customer loyalty (and, at the same time, preventing the occurrence of problems such as customer annoyance or cognitive dissonance); • In addition, the above-mentioned professional support to SMEs can be provided in a way to help them (re)define their strategies for local branding as well as to get improved visibility on a larger scale; • Finally, the know-how available in the laboratory is helpful for understanding the reasons behind the failure of a market campaign/advertisement, thereby promoting a search for improvements.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

Ideal partners are advertisement firms looking for a feedback and support in improving their advertisement contents. On the other hand, ideal partners are also SMEs and business practitioners looking for new ways to improve their marketing strategies or redefine their advertisements. In the latter case, business professionals can be from any economic field or industrial sector. Under outsourcing agreements, the collaborating firm or business professional will provide a list of tasks to be achieved in the field of cognitive marketing and with a set of goals to be accomplished. Based on its know-how, staff expertise and available technical equipment, the Slovenian laboratory will help the collaborating company in achieving the tasks and secure optimal outcomes. Specifically, the collaborating company will define the main topic to put at the center of the collaboration, such as visibility of the product/service on the market, customer loyalty, design of a product placement strategy etc. The outcomes with elaborated analysis will be handed-in formally by the Slovenian lab – for instance in the form of a final report, or a set of guidelines provided to the collaborating firm with the aim to reach optimal solutions. Upon request, this type of collaboration will be extended to a further cooperation in terms of consultancy to the collaborating firm. In case of a cooperation with micro or small firms, consultancy will be provided in a way to help them (re)define their strategies for local branding as well as increase visibility either locally or on a larger scale. In case of medium-sized firms, consultancy can be offered so to help them secure their success on specific local markets (e.g. by targeting a local audience in the best way possible).