Context Pack Creation
Context Packs act as a collection of context backgrounds for a Use Case. For example, an eCommerce Hero Image Context Pack would contain context images of the digital shelf for all relevant eCommerce sites for a brand; such as Amazon, Walmart, Tesco etc.
In order for optimal context testing across a use-case, the chosen collection of context imagery must be consistent and high-quality. There are multiple steps to take in order to ensure your success:
Step 1:
Testing across a multitude of locations allows you to ensure high stand-out across any channel. So, building a wide spread of context imagery is a great place to start. For example, if you want to test a new eCommerce Hero Image, understanding the most common e-retailers your product will appear on is the first step. Our research shows these are some of the most used by our clients:
www.tesco.com, www.sainsburys.co.uk, www.amazon.co.uk, www.walmart.com, www.target.com, www.costco.com
Step 2:
Next, you want to ensure the view you are testing is the same as, or similar to, how your customers will view the scene you are testing. Therefore, ensure you are capturing the correct resolution and aspect ratio for your images. Our research suggests the most common aspect ratio for computer and TV screens is 16:9, at 1920x1080 resolution. Mobile phones are most commonly in 16:9.
Step 3:
Next, you want to collect the image itself. Navigate to the correct page or location, and take the image as close to how your audience will see it as possible. For example, if you're doing an in-store shelf test, use your camera in landscape mode, at the correct height and distance to represent human vision. If you're testing digital, such as eCommerce, ensure you are in the correct category, decide whether you want to test above or below to the fold, and grab an image of the screen in it's correct size and resolution.
Steps to grabbing a high quality screenshot of a website on your computer or smartphone:
For Windows users, press windows key + shift + s to open the snipping tool, then select the right-most option. This will take a screenshot of your entire screen and save it to your clipboard. To access your clipboard, press windows key + v. From here you can paste your image into a document and save it as an image.
For Mac users, press shift + command + 5 to take a screenshot of a specific chosen area, or press shift + command + 3 to take a screenshot of the entire screen. Your new screenshot will automatically be saved to the desktop, but if not you can find it in your Finder, under Recents.
On mobile, utilise your smartphones built-in screenshot function. This is usually performed by pressing the lock and volume button simultaneously, but may very per device.
Using a camera for real world imagery, in-store, packaging, POS etc.:
When taking an image in a store, you must think about what the average customer will see in that environment, and replicate this with your picture:
Landscape mode
Taken at eye-level
In focus
High resolution
Natural shot (no alterations e.g. fisheye lenses etc.)
Lighting (is the lighting reflective of the average viewer? Make sure your flash is off)
This guide is true for any images you may be taking of your content in the real world, such as products in a store, billboards, point-of-sale material, and so on.
Benchmark Pack Creation
Benchmark packs allow you to create a context benchmark in the platform, allowing you to test in context stand-out for any new content, against high-performing previous versions, or competitors.
Similar to collecting context images, ensuring high-quality and consistent imagery to create your benchmark is vital to your success with the report. You must also decide the category of content you want to test against, whether it's competitors, your previous high-performing, or a mix of both.
If you're benchmarking against your own content, we recommend using the images that are stored internally. These are likely to be the highest quality, and will be more accurate than grabbing a screenshot or image from real-life.
If you do need to collect images from the wild, then ensure these are as high-quality as possible, and are in the correct format to compare your assets to, there are steps we recommend you take to ensure this.
If collecting digitally, such as digital ads, or eCommerce thumbnails, it is important to keep these consistent. Using your PCs built in snipping tool is a great place to start, just ensure the snipped area doesn't contain any background imagery or colours that will affect the attention in the platform. You can always crop images down after grabbing the screenshot. The image resolution is also recommended to be identical when a/b testing.
Taking images in real life is similar too, try to achieve the correct, consistent dimensions, with no adjustments to lighting or focus etc. These will be harder to keep consistent, so be editing the images is also recommended.
Some examples:
eCommerce:
On-shelf: