Exploring the role of packaging in the formation of brand images: a mixed methods investigation of consumer perspectives
| Date | 31 October 2024 |
| Pages | 186-202 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2023-4738 |
| Published date | 31 October 2024 |
| Author | Mijka Ghorbani,Arne Westermann |
Exploring the role of packaging in the
formation of brand images: a mixed methods
investigation of consumer perspectives
Mijka Ghorbani
Department of Marketing, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, and
Arne Westermann
Department of Marketing, International School of Management, Dortmund, Germany
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to explore consumers’perspectives on how packaging plays a role in their consumption experience and how it
contributes to the formation of brand images. By adopting a consumer’s perspective, the authors identify the criteria that consumers apply to
evaluate packaging and reveal how packaging relates to consumers’overall brand associations.
Design/methodology/approach –Through a sequential exploratory mixed methods design, the authors explore brand packaging of chocolate bars
as emotionally laden, well-known fast-moving consumer goods. First, the authors conduct a qualitative focus group study to explore how consumers
perceive package design, and how it relates to their brand impressions. Second, the authors test the constructs and attributes with an independent
sample through a quantitative survey.
Findings –The qualitative findings reveal the different roles of packaging and highlight how packaging provides value for consumer experiences
not only at the point-of-sale but also during later consumption. More specifically, the authors identify 12 main criteria that consumers use to
evaluate packaging. The authors unwrap how packaging is embedded in consumers’brand image networks by mapping out its connections to other
brand associations pertaining to product attributes, the brand itself and personality impressions. Thequantitative findings confirm the importance of
practical and symbolic packaging criteria and the brand image comparisons.
Originality/value –Taking a consumer’sperspective, this study contributes to a more holistic understandingof how packaging supports brandbuilding
as we reveal the various ways in which packaging relates to consumers’overall brand image associations. This study further directs attention to the
roles that consumers themselvesassign to packaging and how they evaluatepackaging based on its practical, symbolicand social value.
Keywords Packaging, Brand image, Mixed methods, Brand personality
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The importance of package design has evolved from a
protective container to an informational and persuasive
medium and, finally, an important designelement contributing
to consumers’brand impressions (Orth and Malkewitz, 2008;
Underwood, 2003;Underwood et al.,2001). Brands use their
packaging to gain consumers’attention and convey product
attributes and symbolic brand benefits (Rundh, 2016).
Especially in the sector of fast-moving consumer goods
(FMCG hereafter), marked by highly competitive industries
and spontaneous purchase behavior, packaging is a critical
brand medium that acts as a communication instrument and a
differentiation factor that can impact consumers’purchase
decision at the point-of-sale (Silayoi and Speece,2004, 2007;
Favier et al.,2019;Rettie and Brewer, 2000). Beyond the
point-of-sale, packaging is a recurring brand touchpoint that
can create customer satisfaction and increase loyalty
throughout the entirecustomer journey (Löfgren et al.,2008).
However, there is a significant lack of research exploring the
role of packaging not from a brand’s but a consumer’s
perspective (Nguyen et al., 2020),regarding not only the value
that packaging holds for them but alsohow it contributes to
their brand images. Research on packaging and brand image
has focused on testing how specific package design elements,
such as color or shape, affect consumers’product and brand
impressions in an experimental manner (Spence and Velasco,
2018;Velasco et al., 2014).Hence, there is room for qualitative
explorations to illuminate consumers’thoughts and
experiences when interacting with brand packaging in three
main ways.
First, although research has extensively argued for the
importance of packagingas apurchasecriterion and a recurring
brand touchpoint, it remains uncertain how consumers
The current issue and full text archiveof this journal is available on Emerald
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
34/2 (2025) 186–202
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-09-2023-4738]
The authors would like to thank the editors and the reviewers for their
insightful suggestions and comments that helped us to improve the paper.
Received 26 September2023
Revised 5 March 2024
6 August 2024
3 October 2024
Accepted 7 October 2024
186
deliberately perceive packaging as important and which roles
they recognize and value. This gap suggests that, while the
functional and symbolic aspects of packaging have been
explored from a brand’s perspective, the subjective consumer
perspective on packaging’s role in their decision-making,
consumption processes and brandinteractions remains under-
theorized.
Second, research has paid less attention to how consumers
themselves assess brand packaging and its value in their
purchasing and consumingexperiences. Yet, such a perspective
is invaluable for a holistic understanding of the values that
consumers naturally attribute to packaging and the different
nuances and rankings they ascribe to the resulting evaluative
criteria. This callsfor adeeperexamination of consumers’value
assessment processesin relation to packaging.
Third, while previous research has also highlighted the
importance of packaging in building brand images (Keller,
1993;Orth and Malkewitz, 2008), there is no holistic
understanding of how packaging is embedded in consumers’
overall brand image associations. Hence, a framework that
conceptualizes the role of packaging in brand image formation
from the consumer’sviewpoint is needed to address this gap.
To fill these research gaps, our mixed methods study aimsto
explore consumers’perspectiveson how packaging plays a role
in their consumption experience and how it contributes to the
formation of brand images. Specialattention is directed toward
nuances of valuationthat are naturally expressed by consumers.
Our research is guided by the followingquestions:
RQ1. What roles do consumers ascribe to packaging design
during their purchasingand consumption experience?
RQ2. What criteria do consumersnaturally apply to evaluate
brand packaging and what areunderlying motives with
regard to their importance?
RQ3. How does packaging relateto brand image associations
from the consumer’sviewpoint?
Through a sequential exploratory mixed methods study, we
investigate consumers’perspectives on packaging and
branding, taking chocolate bars as an example of an
emotionally laden, widely popular FMCG. First, through a
qualitative focus group study with German consumers, we
reveal the different rolesof packaging throughout the consumer
journey and the most importantcriteria that consumers use for
evaluating brand packaging. Moreover, we map out the brand
associations evoked through consumers’direct confrontation
with brand packaging using a point-of-sale simulation. Second,
we test the constructs uncovered in the qualitative study using
an online survey with an independent sample. Thus, our study
contributes to research on package design by, first,
demonstrating how consumersuse nuanced criteria to evaluate
packaging based on different value propositions, and second,
by offering a holistic understanding of how packaging is
embedded in consumers’overall brand image associations. By
bridging the gap between theoretical constructs of packaging
design and consumer-driven insights, our findings have
practical implications for brands that face the challenge to
design packages that enhance consumers’experiences and
build long-term brandimages. This study not only enriches the
theoretical landscape of packaging design by re-integrating
consumer perspectives but also provides actionable guidelines
for practitionersintheFMCG sector.
2.Theoretical background
2.1The importance of packaging for brands
Marketing theory and practice have long recognized the
importance of packagingin product design, logistics and brand
communication (Rettie and Brewer, 2000;Rundh, 2016). In
general, a “package”is a container,shell, cover or wrapper that
encloses an object; thus, it may be understood as both an
extrinsic and intrinsic factor of the product (Underwood,
2003). The packaging of a productserves as a primary physical
interface for consumers; it determines how they can interact
with the product throughout all phases of purchasing, storing,
consuming and disposingof it(Rundh,2013). A package that is
easy to handle and dispose of can provide benefits for
consumers (Rundh,2013, 2016). Therefore, companies have
to make numerous decisions regarding the design of a package
and its functions along a product’sentire value chain, including
logistical requirements, costs,convenience, as well as
communicativefunctions (Orth and Malkewitz, 2008).
In today’s fast-moving consumptionculture, brands face the
challenge of attracting consumers’attention, communicating
their product benefits and building sustainable brand images,
i.e. building strong brand associationsin consumers’memories
(Keller, 1993;Orth and Malkewitz, 2008). Numerous studies
have shown that package designelements influence consumers’
perceptions of products and brandsand their purchase
decisions, with special attention directed toward the impact of
packaging on consumers at the point-of-sale (Silayoi and
Speece,2004, 2007;Rettie and Brewer, 2000). To illustrate,
package design colors raise attention and elicit unconscious
expectations regarding product qualities or brand
characteristics based on learned associations (Spence and
Velasco,2019, 2018). Similarly, other package design features
such as typeface, shapes, tactile elements and other sensory
attributes have been shown to prime consumers’expectations
and brand evaluations (Velasco and Spence, 2019;Velasco
et al.,2018). Thus, package design is an important marketing
instrument that contributes not only to brand communication
but also to consumers’multisensory brand experiences (Littel
and Orth, 2013).
Accordingly, package design hasbeen established as an
important component of a brand’s (visual) identity (Orth and
Malkewitz, 2008). The textual,visual and material elements of
package design can transport both tangible and intangible
brand messages (Rundh, 2016). In a study by Solja et al.
(2018), it was demonstratedthat short brand stories on FMCG
packages have a positive impact on consumers’value
perception of the brand and their attitude toward it. Packaging
does not only display brand symbols and imagery but also
serves as a crucial brand symbol, that sets it apart from
competitors (van Rompay andFennis, 2019). Thus, packaging
is important to convey product and brand attributes. Yet,
creating the right design for the intended purposeis achallenge
for brands, given the numerous elements and variables of
package design.
Role of packaging in the formation
Mijka Ghorbani and Arne Westermann
Journal of Product & Brand Management
Volume 34 · Number 2 · 2025 · 186–202
187
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