How Atypical Packaging Captures Attention and Evokes Emotion: an Eye-tracking and Facial-expression Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Consumers tend to select everyday products quickly. One way to attract attention is to differentiate from the competition and use an atypical text design, illustrations, or style. This study aims to determine how a package design atypicality influences the package's ability to attract attention, evoke positive emotions, and influence choice. The methodology was based on eye-tracking of consumer reactions to packaging designs. Product names, text style, illustrative images on the packaging, and the graphic style of these images were changed. The findings show that neither first-noticed packages with a very typical design nor a very atypical design were preferred. Moderate typicality is best for catching attention, evoking positive emotions, and influencing choice. Atypical design changes may not lead to more attention or preference when developing product packaging. The research highlights the importance of typeface and the graphical style of illustration. Care is needed when choosing typefaces and illustrations.
Source: Ekonomska misao i praksa
Institution: University of Tartu
Language: English
Subfield: Marketing
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412468025