September, even more than January, is the month of good intentions — both personal and professional. But in order to focus on the right goals, we first need to look back before we can move forward. What happened over the past year? What did we learn? And what do we choose to carry with us?
The answer is data.
Packaging Première & PCD Milan 2025 was an edition rich in content and collaborations, supported and enhanced in many aspects by artificial intelligence: from the artwork of the year to the music that welcomed visitors at the event entrance, from the pieces showcased in the Art Gallery to the monitoring of audience reactions during the Main Stage conferences and in front of the showcases featuring the winning projects in each category — Design, Innovative Materials, and Sustainability — of the Avant-Garde Award.
Thanks to Cicero.Live, a system that measures the audience’s level of interest, focus, and emotion in real time through anonymous analysis of biometrics and microexpressions, we were able to analyze the performance of our content, obtaining immediate feedback on the elements presented.
During the 18 conferences held over the 3-day event (May 20–22, 2025) at the Main Stage, cameras monitored the audience, evaluating them according to predefined metrics.:
What emerged?
The sessions showed significant and consistent audience engagement over the three days, with an average focus rate of around 65% and one predominant, constant emotion: concentration –an indicator of steady cognitive involvement. On average, about 10% of the audience used their phones, while 8% took notes consistently. These figures highlight a highly engaged, attentive, and selective audience, in tune with the content presented.
The analysis also revealed a recurring pattern of heightened attention during moments involving visual storytelling, concrete sustainable practices, and genuinely implementable technological solutions.
The most appreciated conferences were those that managed to combine storytelling, innovation, and aesthetics with visual and practical content supported by personal and creative examples.
Stay tuned to find out more!
Source: Selfridges
