Immersion Blog

How to Measure Value for Immersive Experiences

Written by Laura Beavin-Yates, PhD | Sep 22, 2024 6:24:54 PM

In the evolving field of experiential design, the stakes are higher than ever for creating immersive experiences that not only captivate but have a deep and lasting impact on audiences. Whether you're designing a cutting-edge art installation or orchestrating a brand activation, the pressure to deliver both meaningful and financially successful experiences has never been greater. But how can you be confident that your creative concepts will truly resonate with your audience and deliver the expected returns for financial stakeholders?

The immersive experience industry, which includes everything from art installations to themed attractions and brand activations, is poised for significant growth, with the global market expected to reach $149.5 billion by 2030. Yet–despite this growth–financial success remains elusive for many projects. Many immersive experience installations fail to recoup their initial investment within the first year, and a significant portion of brand activations do not meet their expected return on investment (ROI).

These statistics highlight a critical issue: while creativity remains at the heart of experiential design, there is an increasing need to backup that creativity with data-driven insights. Designers and stakeholders alike must be able to demonstrate that their investments in these experiences will yield positive outcomes, both in terms of audience engagement and financial return.

In today’s data-driven world, intuition and creative flair are no longer enough. There’s a growing demand for tools and methodologies that can accurately measure the value of immersive experiences in real-time, ensuring that designs not only capture the imagination but also meet business objectives. This shift towards integrating value measurement into the design process helps bridge the gap between creative vision and financial viability, fostering a more strategic approach to experiential design.

Goodbye Bias & Bullsh*t, Hello Value Measurement

Traditional feedback methods, like post-experience surveys, often fall short in capturing the complete audience journey within an immersive experience. These methods are biased, prone to low response rates, and typically focus on the most memorable moments–missing the subtle, in-the-moment interactions that define the overall value of the experience.

Enter Value Measurement—a cutting-edge approach that delivers real-time, objective insights into what truly captivates and engages audiences during an immersive experience. Using advanced algorithms developed from 20+ years of neuroscience research, this method tracks the release of neurochemicals like oxytocin and dopamine, which signal emotional and experiential impact. By capturing this data in real-time, experiential designers can pinpoint the exact moments that resonate most with audiences and identify areas that need improvement.

The Financial Impact of Value Measurement

For experiential designers and investors, Value Measurement is a true game-changer. This powerful tool delivers actionable insights into audience impact throughout the experience, allowing designers to fine-tune their concepts before launch and significantly reduce financial risk. For investors, it offers a clear, data-driven validation of potential ROI, making financial commitments easier to justify.

Integrating Value Measurement into immersive experiences can significantly enhance audience impact and improve financial performance. This is especially crucial in an industry where the cost of missteps can be steep—not just financially, but also in terms of brand reputation.

The best part about Value Measurement is its ease of implementation. From the initial design phase to the final execution, this tool can be seamlessly integrated into every stage of your immersive experience project. Here’s how it works:

Ready to elevate your immersive experience? Here’s how you can start measuring value today:

  • Set Up: Simply navigate to the 'Invites' tab in the SIX app, click 'Create an Invite,' and select 'Live Event.' Enter your event title and the time frame you want to measure, then customize any advanced settings to fit your needs. Once done, click 'Share' to generate a link and QR code that you can distribute to visitors. Some designers entice participation with a coupon for anonymous feedback, while others elevate the experience by integrating this into a VIP offering.
  • Place Location Beacons (Optional): For more accurate location-based insights, consider placing beacons strategically throughout your venue. While the SIX App offers approximate location tracking that allows you to map insights to particular experiential elements, using beacons provides greater precision.
  • Visitor Opts-In: Your visitor will download the SIX app, where they can opt-in to anonymously and passively share their experience with you. Participation is always voluntary, and data is fully anonymized to ensure privacy.
  • Measure In-the-Moment: As soon as visitors opt-in, the app guides them to pair their smartwatch or wearable and start measurement. While they journey through your immersive experience, our advanced algorithms track the release of neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine. This provides in-the-moment insights into the neurologic value they’re receiving, automatically capturing the key high and low moments for you.*
  • Get Detailed Insights: After the measurement window closes, open the SIX App to receive a FREE Value and Safety Score along with a summary of actionable insights. For a more comprehensive analysis, you can purchase a detailed post-event report that includes a dynamic timeline of experiential impact, demographic summaries, and tailored insights. This allows you to fully understand and maximize the value your experience delivers, ensuring it resonates deeply with your audience and meets financial expectations.

In a market where the success of immersive experiences is never guaranteed, incorporating Value Measurement can help ensure consistent financial returns. By moving beyond traditional feedback methods and embracing data-driven validation, you can ensure that every element of your design delivers maximum value and resonates deeply with your audience.

Don’t miss the opportunity to transform your approach to experiential design. Many leading designers and investors are already leveraging this tool to create immersive experiences that captivate, engage, and deliver exceptional financial results.

Click here to learn more about Value Measurement, or experience it yourself today by scanning the QR code below to see how much your brain loves a fun video!

*Note, Immersion can help you source wearables if you are interested in providing them to your visitors. Email info@getimmersion.com to learn more.