Neuromarketing & Packaging

Neuromarketing & Packaging

The term “neuromarketing” was introduced in 2002 by Dutch researcher and professor Ale Smidts, who defined it as follows: “neuromarketing uses the theories and methods of cognitive neuroscience to design, implement and measure marketing activities.” (Smidts, 2002)

The purpose of neuromarketing is to analyze the irrational processes that occur in the mind of the consumer and that unconsciously influence purchasing decisions or greater or lesser emotional involvement with a brand.

This discipline is also applicable to the world of packaging and its design.

If you think that, statistically, the estimated average time for the choice of a product in a store by the consumer is less than 8 seconds, it is crucial to be able to immediately attract the attention of those who have to choose.  By understanding how the design and realization of packaging influence people’s perceptions by changing their behavior, it is possible to create “packaging” that becomes more effective for the final choice.

The areas of the brain involved in purchasing choices are the same areas that identify well-being and beauty.

The activity of some brain areas,  such as the  orbito-frontal cortex, is closely linked to the functioning of the so-called “Reward System”.

This system in fact governs actions towards obtaining a goal considered “enjoyable”: the greater the activity in this system, the higher the price that people are willing to pay to buy a certain product.

Recent studies have then integrated the above with a series of fascinating certainties on universal aesthetics such as,  for example, the natural preference of the human brain for curved lines compared to straight lines, the greater propensity of the same for simple design or for symmetrical compositions easily readable thanks to a high contrast of personalized graphic parts.

It is known, finally, that in front of a product, even the system called “limbic”, which is the basis of the so-called “instinctive choice”, evaluates the stimulus and activates the receptors dedicated to an emotional response, which is why, for example, in front of a pleasant event, the heart rhythm increases.     When rational thinking becomes too complicated due to the presence of numerous distractions or too many options to choose from, this state of mind prevails and triggers all the components that determine the final choice.

In conclusion, neuromarketing can provide us with principles that are of great help to create packaging capable of attracting attention, but, obviously, there are no rules valid in every context and for all products.

Certainly, being simple, clear, clean in lines and shapes is an important starting point, but creativity, tests and practical analysis will always remain fundamental to arrive at a more effective and performing solution.

If you have particular interest in deepening the topic, combining the  above  with increasingly environmentally friendly solutions for the protection of health and the environment, it will be a pleasure to study, implement and share new and interesting projects.

For info www.evi-italia.com

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