Little did we realize the profound implications this could have for shoppers today in our ‘pandemic’ state of being; there is a preference for contactless, instantly accessible and affordable healthcare advice in a retail environment. ​​

However, before even considering progressing and developing this technology, GSK needed further insights to understand:​

• • how shoppers would react to the avatar,​
  • which categories and situations would best fit its assistance, and ​
  • the potential impact on GSK’s future retail strategy.​

Our solution

InSites Consulting designed an innovative and tailored research approach utilizing a variety of methodologies:​

• • Perception test; we engaged with the Health Hub Square, our always-on digital community, to get a foundation-level understanding of participants’ attitudes and perceptions towards the AI Self-Care Coach, and their willingness to interact (rationalized and not in the moment) with it, and the likelihood to engage in a retail environment. That is how a blend of social-media-inspired and projective questions allowed us to get deeper and more thoughtful responses.
  • Reaction test; we used in-home video ethnography to observe people’s reactions when they saw and interacted with the avatar for the first time. A paired-video format thus allowed real-time ‘watch and react’, followed by a discussion on the avatar between two participants.
  • Experience test; we brought shoppers to the state-of-the-art GSK Shopper Science Lab (SSL); there we ran a series of experiments, in order to get in-the-moment reactions to the on-shelf avatar. Furthermore, this included accompanied shopping sessions in a replicated store environment with changing conditions (music, lighting, shopper traffic); we also did sentiment tracking through facial and galvanic skin response biometric testing.

The impact

This project was never about creating a ‘go/no-go’ proposition solution. The avatar was just a very ‘cool’ manifestation of how a ‘game-changing’ technology could look and achieve in-store. ​

We aided GSK by uncovering opportunities and pitfalls that any implementation of technology faces in this environment today. We also offered guidance for future digital initiatives of this type, such as: ​

• • Decision making on future-facing concepts can differ vastly, depending on the context of what people see, where they see it and how they experience it. Therefore, an iterative approach is essential.​
  • A clear call to action and reason to engage is vital to ensure shoppers will notice and utilize any type of digital technology in a busy store environment.​
  • Shelf execution must incite curiosity. So, the power of ‘cool’ reduces privacy concerns or initial awkwardness in interacting with this type of technology.​
  • Context is everything and will limit or expand perceptions of what the technology can offer depending on where it lives, what surrounds it, and what it is anchored against.​
  • Any technology at shelf must be simple, low effort and solve a specific shopper problem, not all problems or all expectations.​