What is facial coding?
Facial coding uses AI to analyze facial expressions in order to measure emotions. It is based on Paul Ekman’s Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and measures the seven universal basic emotions. Research shows that facial coding can predict up to 78% of purchase intent (McDuff et al., 2015). Validators offers EmotionFlow™, an online facial coding tool for testing advertisements.
How does facial coding work?
Facial coding uses the respondent’s webcam. While a person watches a commercial or other content, AI analyzes their facial expressions second by second. The 43 facial muscles are mapped to the 7 universal basic emotions: happiness, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, and contempt. The result is an emotion curve updated every second. You can see exactly when an emotion peaks or drops.
What is facial coding used for?
Facial coding is ideally suited for: pre-testing TV commercials and online videos (to determine which version elicits the strongest emotional response), identifying strong and weak moments in a film or commercial, A/B testing creative content, and understanding why people drop off. Validators' EmotionFlow™ is fully online and scalable: from 150 to thousands of respondents.
Facial coding vs. traditional advertising research
Traditional advertising research asks people what they think ("Did you like the commercial?"). Facial coding measures what they feel while they’re watching. The difference is significant: people aren’t always aware of their emotional reactions and can’t always put them into words. Facial coding captures the unconscious, automatic emotional response that strongly correlates with purchase intent and brand recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
How reliable is facial coding?
Facial coding is scientifically validated. Studies show that facial muscle activity can predict purchase intent by up to 78% (McDuff et al., 2015). EmotionFlow™ was developed in collaboration with academic partners.
Is facial coding privacy-friendly?
Yes, EmotionFlow™ does not store video footage. Only the emotion data (numbers) is processed. Validators is ISO 27001 certified for information security.
What is the difference between facial coding and eye tracking?
Facial coding measures emotions (how does a commercial make you feel?). Eye tracking measures attention (where do you look?). Together, they provide a comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of visual communication.
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