Seeing is not necessarily liking: Advancing research on package design with eye-tracking

Abstract

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. This paper contributes to the package design research by proposing and verifying process-based framework that explain how various package features affect customers visual attention. An exploratory study was carried out in virtual settings, deploying eye-tracking methodology in combination with package collages in order to assure a reasonably realistic product category context, yet better control over non-package factors that affect attention. Findings suggest that physical and semantic package features affect attention during the ‘orientation’ phase and reveal how efficiently attention is transferred to the brand in the ‘discovery’ phase. Results in addition reveal that packages that attract the most attention are not necessarily likeable or suitable, but also that recall is a questionable measure of attention. The study provides important implications by informing management on how to break the visual clutter and stand out from competitors, while staying in line with the product category ‘code’.