Fortnite Meets Food Shopping in New Virtual Marketing Tool

The latest in gaming technology is now informing grocery planning. Nielsen Global Connect has introduced a virtual suite of three smart solutions to the U.S. market, including Nielsen SmartStore, the first immersive virtual reality tool designed to transform in-store testing; Nielsen SmartShelf, the next generation of virtual retail shelf and planogram testing; and Nielsen SmartShopper, an interactive, augmented reality-fueled shopper marketing tool that helps to uncover in-store shopping behaviors.

“With the pace of unprecedented change occurring within today’s shopping landscape, it is imperative for companies to stay ahead of consumers and anticipate their needs,” said Susan Dunn, president of U.S. sales for Nielsen, in a statement. “Nielsen’s virtual suite of SmartStore solutions capitalizes on new technology to dramatically increase the speed and reduce the costs of testing new concepts for brands, allowing them to get real, personal consumer feedback at scale, in a safe environment.”

Nielsen SmartStore enables consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers to create and test customized, in-store shopping simulations and scenarios within a dynamic 3D, 360-degree total store environment.

Providing a read on shopper head, eye and foot movements, in addition to a 3D heat map of the store, shelf or aisle, SmartStore allows the CPG industry to measure, evaluate and optimize a range of retail concepts, including multiple shelf layouts and locations, point-of-sale designs, promotion displays, packaging options and even whole store designs.

“In a time of great retail and shopper disruption, virtual planning is a tech-forward way for companies to navigate the new normal of in-store planning,” says Nielsen. Through a collaborative alliance with 3D simulation software supplier InContext Solutions, Nielsen SmartShelf can produce a fully realistic shopper experience in a virtual environment, allowing companies to continue to safely and quickly design and test aisle, category and shelf scenarios, without physical store testing.

The latest edition of SmartShopper, available in July, will enable companies to identify and uncover in-store shopper behaviors. Fueled by the latest in augmented reality, this smartphone enabled, shopper marketing tool allows for product images, in-store marketing artwork, seasonal or special event concepts to be tested by shoppers in-store using interactive gaming technology.  

“Understanding shoppers is more important than ever, and this latest launch represents the next step in our commitment to shaping a smarter market for our clients,” Dunn added.