With Walt Disney taking the reigns in Austin, TX, there is going to be a whole new way to test the effects of advertising on the viewer. Disney ultimately wants to find out if consumers are more impacted by interactive ads and if their money would be well spent on these high-tech ads.

“TV is not a rational medium, it’s an emotional medium,” Varan said. “We can get to a deeper layer of what’s motivating people by seeing how they behave, observing them in experimental settings and seeing how their body reacts.”

Biometric testing has been used when testing print ads as it gauges a reaction that focus groups and surveys don’t always catch. Now, should Disney’s new lab open by year’s end, we’ll know the same thing about TV spots, mobile and interactive ads. Depending on the outcome, this could mean that for ads of this high-tech calibur, agencies could ideally charge more since they will be more effective. Is it really making someone’s heart beat faster? Are they truly feeling the emotional connection you are trying to convey? ABC and ESPN may just be the first to know.

Technorati Tags: Disney, ABC, ESPN, advertising, testing, focus groups, biometrics, television, interactive