Article

Color Saturation Increases Perceived Product Size

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

This research demonstrates a visual phenomenon with broad implications for consumers: the perceived size of products depends on the saturation of their color. Results from six experiments, employing objects and products with various shapes and hues, show that increasing color saturation increases size perceptions. This influence is explained by the tendency for saturated color to capture attention, which, in turn, is explained by the arousal that saturated color stimulates. This research also demonstrates several downstream outcomes of the effect of saturation on size perceptions: Evaluations are more favorable—and willingness to pay is higher—for products with high (low) saturation when usage goals call for large (small) size. Additionally, participants choose more of a product to fill a container with higher saturation. Further, the saturation of an object’s color affects the perceived size of its surroundings, such that when a product with high (vs. low) saturation is used as a benchmark, the environment is perceived to be comparatively smaller (vs. larger). Implications for aesthetics, design, sensory marketing, and related topics are discussed. Lastly, to aid future color research, an appendix outlines general challenges and recommendations in connection with the conceptualization, manipulation, and measurement of color.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Thus, a color with low saturation appears gray and washed out, whereas one with high saturation appears vivid (Sample, Hagtvedt, and Brasel 2020). All three color components (hue, saturation, lightness) have been explored in various contexts and have been shown to impact product perceptions such as durability and user-friendliness (Hagtvedt 2020), weight and size (Hagtvedt and Brasel 2017), and brand personality (Labrecque and Milne 2012). ...
... To rule out alternative mechanisms that have been linked to color previously in the literature, participants also answered questions measuring attention (ɑ = .86, from Hagtvedt and Brasel [2017]), processing fluency (ɑ = .90, from Lee and Aaker [2004]), and dominance (from Chung and Saini [2022]). ...
... questions. Perceived attention (Hagtvedt and Brasel 2017;α = .96) and processing fluency (Lee and Aaker 2004; α = .90) ...
Article
Consumers use observable cues, like color, to help them evaluate products. This research establishes that consumers infer greater product efficacy from higher color saturation across seven lab experiments (n = 2,745), a web scraping study, and a field experiment. The studies provide evidence that this belief stems from learned associations between color saturation and potency and is applied to both consumable and durable products. Moreover, consumers overgeneralize this intuition beyond a product’s actual color to a product’s packaging color and the background color used in its advertisements. Two studies support the proposed process with evidence via moderation, while another study identifies consumption goal as a boundary condition, such that high saturation decreases perceived efficacy and purchase intent when consumers search for a gentle (vs. strong) product. The effect is not limited to pre-purchase perceptions but also influences perceptions after actual product use. The effect is established across six hues while holding color lightness constant and has multiple downstream consequences, including purchase intent and consumption amount. The findings have implications for marketers who make product design choices like color choices for products, their packaging, and advertisements, and in instances where consumers may be harmed from underuse or overuse.
... Additionally, Gorn et al. (2004) found that when low saturation colors are used on web pages, consumers feel more relaxed and perceive web page waiting times as shorter. Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017) demonstrated that products with highly saturated colors appear larger than those with low saturated colors, as highsaturated colors attract consumers' attention. Hagtvedt's research has had a significant impact on subsequent research on saturation, influencing research areas such as the moderating effect of saturation and sound frequency (Wang et al., 2020), product placement (Huang et al., 2022), and even the influence of saturation on intimacy (Xiao et al., 2021). ...
... Additionally, Study 1 employs two logo colors, red and green, to explore whether similar findings can be replicated across different hues. In accordance with Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017), the red logo was configured with a hue of 0 and a value (brightness) of 54, whereas the green logo was set with a hue of 117 and a value of 70. For both logos, the high-saturation logo was set to a saturation of 100, whereas the low-saturation logo was set to a saturation of 50 (refer to the Appendix for the logo shapes). ...
... In Study 2, a fictitious brand logo (Digitrans) was created. Following Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017), the new logo colors were set with a hue of 22 and a value of 80. For the high saturated new logo, saturation was set at 100, and for the low saturated new logo, saturation was set at 50. ...
Article
Full-text available
An increasing number of brands have been redesigning their logos. While the manner of redesigning varies, some brands change only the logo color. This study examined the effect of changes in color saturation while brand logo redesigns on consumers’ brand attitudes. Saturation, which indicates the vividness of a color, gives consumers an impression of energy and dynamism. Therefore, we examined the impact of changes in brand logo color saturation on brand attitudes by enhancing perceptions of brand energy. Three studies revealed that 1) a highly saturated logo enhances consumers’ perception of brand energy; 2) increasing saturation when changing the logo color increases brand energy perception, which in turn increases attitude toward the brand; and 3) the effect of brand energy perception on attitude toward the brand is stronger for international brands than for domestic brands. This study, which clarified the relationship between the influence of saturation and brand attitude when a brand logo is redesigned, provides many suggestions for companies considering logo redesign.
... Second, our approach extends research on the effects of lowlevel perceptual features on consumer behavior (Hagtvedt & Adam Brasel, 2017), by blending perception science (i.e., the oblique effect) with consumer-psychological and marketing research. We do so by using secondary data analysis, experimental methods (Studies 2 and 3), but also by means of an innovative methodology, where we determine the cardinality of music covers with advanced algorithms from vision research, and where we subsequently link these algorithmic outcomes to secondary data on the associated albums' market performance (Study 1). ...
... First, we supplement work on semantic transfer effects, such as research on embodied spillovers (Krishna & Schwarz, 2014), with research examining nonsemantic transfer effects. Furthermore, we supplement spillover effects due to a synesthetic correspondence (i.e., based on a congruence between basic stimulus features in different sensory modalities; Hagtvedt & Adam Brasel, 2017) with nonsynesthetic spillover effects (i.e., where there is no apparent congruence between basic features in the two-visual and auditory-modalities). ...
... between the visual (the CD cover) and the auditory (the song) stimuli (Hagtvedt & Adam Brasel, 2017). ...
Article
Full-text available
In three studies, we examine the effect of music album artwork on album market performance and music consumption. Based on the perceptual preference for visual stimuli with cardinal (orthogonal) over oblique (tilted) line/edge orientations (a phenomenon known as the “oblique effect”), albums with a predominance of cardinal line/edge orientations in their artwork should perform better than albums with more oblique artwork, as indicated by the albums' market performance and consumers' listening behavior. Study 1, using secondary data, shows that the cardinality of album artwork is a positive predictor of the cover's esthetic appeal and of market performance as evinced by its position in the US charts, expert ratings of the album, and the number of weeks the album remained in the US charts. Studies 2 and 3 use experiments to show that consumers listen longer to music when album artwork is relatively more cardinal than oblique. These studies also explore whether the effect is mediated by higher esthetic appreciation of cardinal (vs. oblique) album artwork in turn affecting song liking. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of visual preferences in packaging design for music consumption.
... Color-related research in sensory marketing and psychology has predominantly focused on the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color space model [21]. This model uses hue, saturation, and luminance to describe colors. ...
... Regarding spatial distance, in the early 1900s, it was suggested that reducing bright colors in artwork would make viewers feel further away from the work [32]. Moreover, people perceive highly saturated color objects as being closer to them or appearing larger [21,33]. Regarding temporal distance, Lee et al. observed that in contexts characterized by more temporal distance (e.g., recalling a hotel they stayed in years ago), consumers would perceive low-saturation photos as more consistent with their memories [18]. ...
... Consequently, these associations represent positive psychological meaning [21,45,50] and reduce the sense of distance [21,33]. In food research, highly saturated colors often represent ripeness or freshness and can evoke consumer motivation to converge, thus improving food evaluation [21,45,50]. ...
Article
Full-text available
In the Internet era, online channels have contributed significantly to tourism marketing and promotion. Consumers will receive tourism information online to reduce information asymmetry. Moreover, with overwhelming levels of information, consumers may only get a limited amount of information. Therefore, the primary concern for marketers lies in capturing consumers’ attention during this stage. Visual design is essential among the various factors researchers have thoroughly investigated. Studies have recognized the importance of the color characteristics of travel photos on consumer decisions. However, these studies often focus their analysis on tonal information while neglecting the intuitive emotional impact of color saturation on consumers. Consequently, this study aims to distinguish and categorize different tourist destinations to explore the impact of saturation characteristics of attraction photos on consumer appeal in online scenarios. This study contributes to existing knowledge of color context theory, enhancing its contextual application. The findings presented in this paper have implications for developing more effective visual marketing strategies.
... After the stability assessment, the subjects were also required to measure the weight perceptions of the products. Referring to the method of Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017), this experiment required the participants to evaluate the weight of each product in kg or g within a given reasonable weight range (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). ...
... After the stability assessment, the subjects were also required to measure the weight perceptions of the products. Referring to the method of Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017), this experiment required the participants to evaluate the weight of each product in kg or g within a given reasonable weight range (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). ...
... This may be related to the gender differences in color metaphors, also factors that influence color perception and application include gender (Singh & Srivastava, 2011;Vanston & Strother, 2017). Moreover, the significance of the mediating effect of weight perception in the process of color gradient influence on stability perception was relatively small from the experimental results, probably due to the fact that visual illusions do not always extend to the tactile realm (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). When consumers evaluate an object visually, there may be a disconnect between the vision perceptual processing and the corresponding tactile information (Walker et al., 2010). ...
Article
Gradient colors are widely used in product design. The variation of gradient colors muting a color as a series of steps from bright to dull creates a soft and gradual impression while also affecting people's perceptions. This study manipulates the types of gradient colors to explore the relationship between color gradients and perception of stability to determine whether weight perception plays a role. In the case of controlling for aesthetic differences, the study manipulated two types of color gradients (dark colors fading upward from the bottom versus downward from the top) and measured the perceptions of product stability. In the same hue, an upward gradient gives a stronger perception of stability. In addition, gradient colors significantly influence women's perception of stability more than men's. The study also investigated the mediating effect of weight perception: participants evaluated color fading-upward products with less weight relative to fading-downward colors. Furthermore, dark colors fading upward from the bottom lead to a stronger perception of weight, increasing the stability perception of the object. Finally, to aid future research, we discuss the practical implications of the current findings for areas such as sensory marketing, as well as possible directions for future research.
... Lee et al. [8] suggested that a preference toward higher saturations may support the avoidance of decayed food, as the saturation of natural food color appearances tends to reduce throughout the decomposition process. Furthermore, Hagtvedt and Brasel [35] indicated that products with higher saturation color appearances may have increased perceived size (the "saturation-size effect" described in Ref. [36]), leading to higher appeal and willingness to pay. The null finding for the red apple is likely due to a ceiling effect, with PAS similarly high across the three illumination conditions. ...
... Indeed, Rocha [7] found that preference for higher saturation generalized to both images of natural and cooked food items, but not to non-food items. Domain-general mechanisms, such as arousal and attention, may also mediate the effects of color appearance on perceived food quality [10,35,58,59]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Food color may signal vital food attributes, e.g., ripeness (yellow) or rottenness (brown) in a banana. Previous studies on the influence of color appearance on perceived food quality have typically used 2D images and confounded appearance changes with other factors. Here, using immersive viewing of real 3D naturalistic fruits and vegetables, we demonstrate that near-metameric changes in the illumination spectrum are sufficient to drive changes in perceived food quality, via changes in object color appearance alone, keeping all other contextual factors constant. Both hue and saturation changes induce perceived positive attribute changes, varying with the object and individual participant.
... Visual salience refers to distinct visual features that make an object stand out or become conspicuous (Itti and Koch 2001), such as brightness and luminosity, color, texture, and shape (Hagtvedt and Brasel 2017;Sample, Hagtvedt, and Brasel 2020). ...
... For instance, nutrition labels placed closer to the center of food packaging attract more attention. Itti, Koch, and Niebur (2001); Hagtvedt and Brasel (2017) Agter and Stigchel (2005); Jonides and Yantis (1988) Wedel and Pieters (2017) Past visual experiences, stored in memory, affect current online experiences. Understanding a consumer's prior visual experiences can significantly enhance predictive power. ...
Preprint
Online environments provide unmatched convenience for consumers. However, they simultaneously expose consumers to tailor-made environments capable of capturing and steering their attention, which can lead them towards making suboptimal decisions. By integrating findings from vision science and marketing, we propose the novel concept of 'Attention Vulnerability Online' (AVO), representing a state in which consumers have reduced control over their attentional resources, putting them at risk of making suboptimal decisions. We argue that technological advancements, such as generative AI and machine learning, enable businesses to display visual attention drivers that, when combined with detailed knowledge about individual consumers, can direct consumers’ attentional resources toward specific online stimuli, thus rendering consumers vulnerable. We also examine the impact of key moderating factors that can exacerbate AVO - consumer-specific and situational characteristics that shape our attention. Our contributions are threefold: we provide a novel conceptual framework on AVO that connects vision science with consumer vulnerability, explaining when consumers are at risk of making suboptimal decisions in online environments; we identify areas warranting further investigation related to AVO; and we offer policy recommendations to ensure ethical online marketing practices.
... Previous research has shown that visual design (e.g., shape, color, position, and typeface) is an important communication tool that can enhance marketing effectiveness (e.g., Deng & Kahn, 2009;Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017;Jiang et al., 2016). Consumers' perceptions and decisions are affected unconsciously by visual design, especially when other diagnostic information is lacking (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986). ...
... After that, they evaluated the travel destination in terms of attention and specialness. Attention was assessed by asking the extent to which they thought that the travel destination captured their attention on a sevenpoint scale (1 = not at all, 7 = very much) (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Specialness was assessed via a three-item seven-point scale by asking the extent to which they thought that the travel destination was exceptional, ...
Article
This research examines how the visual cue of a handwritten (vs. typewritten) typeface, affects tourists’ responses to the marketing of green tourism. We draw on the visual marketing literature to propose that a handwritten typeface leads to more positive responses toward green destinations/products/hospitality (i.e., anticipation of enjoyment, willingness to pay, and booking intention) via tourists’ perception of greenness. We also find that the enhancing effect of a handwritten typeface occurs only in the green (as opposed to luxury) travel context. This effect is mitigated, however, when tourists are made conscious of greenness. Four experiments using different product and service categories across two countries support our hypotheses. Our findings contribute to the literature on green tourism, typeface design, and tourists’ perception of greenness, and provide practical guidelines that can help tourism companies and policymakers design effective green communication strategies.
... Product size changes have been shown to lead to less recycling behavior (Trudel and Argo, 2013). In addition, the literature has demonstrated that perceived size has a downstream influence on product evaluation (Jia et al., 2020), product preference (Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017;Ketron and Naletelich, 2022;Wang et al., 2020) and perceived spaciousness of the environment (Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017). Size cues in a brand name can even influence perceptions of warmth and competence of the brand: brands with a smallness size cue in their names are perceived to be warmer but less competent, while those with a bigness cue are perceived to be less warm but more competent (Zhang et al., 2022). ...
... Product size changes have been shown to lead to less recycling behavior (Trudel and Argo, 2013). In addition, the literature has demonstrated that perceived size has a downstream influence on product evaluation (Jia et al., 2020), product preference (Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017;Ketron and Naletelich, 2022;Wang et al., 2020) and perceived spaciousness of the environment (Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017). Size cues in a brand name can even influence perceptions of warmth and competence of the brand: brands with a smallness size cue in their names are perceived to be warmer but less competent, while those with a bigness cue are perceived to be less warm but more competent (Zhang et al., 2022). ...
Article
Purpose Cute products have found market success. The literature has identified various factors of cuteness, but the effect of size is under-addressed. This study aims to investigate whether and how size perception influences consumers’ cuteness perception. Design/methodology/approach In three experiments, size was manipulated in terms of visual cue, product description and product name to determine its impact on cuteness perception. Findings The results of the three experiments demonstrate that a size cue of smallness can heighten consumers’ perception of product cuteness. The first two studies provided converging evidence for the main hypothesis that smaller objects are evaluated as cuter. Study 3 not only replicated the findings of the first two studies but also revealed that vulnerability acts as the underlying process for the smallness-cuteness relationship. Study 3 also showed that the purchase likelihood for an extended product warranty is higher in the small condition compared to the control condition. Research limitations/implications While the findings were robust across product types and size manipulations, possible boundary conditions related to product types or individual characteristics were not tested. Practical implications The findings suggest how brand managers can use size perceptions to influence consumers’ perceptions of the cuteness of their products and brands. Originality/value The findings inform brand managers about the nuances of size cues that may affect how customers perceive their products and identify a more generally applicable cuteness factor that may have downstream implications for marketing practitioners.
... Similar to brightness, previous research failed to consider colorfulness when examining color effects. Colorfulness increases arousal (Valdez and Mehrabian 1994;Hagtvedt and Adam Brasel 2017) and may be positively associated with brand excitement and ruggedness (Labrecque and Milne 2012). ...
... Brand excitement positively associates with colorfulness and color variety. The saturation and variety of colors stimulate strong emotional responses and evoke arousal (Hagtvedt and Adam Brasel 2017), leading consumers to associate these physiological responses with the brand and perceive greater brand excitement (Labrecque and Milne 2012). In contrast, green, as the analogous color of blue with a shorter wavelength, is perceived as calming (low-intensity emotion) and attenuates brand excitement. ...
... In a crowded market, colors are used to differentiate products. Apple, for instance, employs sleek, minimalist colors like silver, space gray, and gold to convey a sense of luxury and sophistication, setting their products apart from competitors (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). This differentiation through color helps to attract a specific target audience that values elegance and high quality. ...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Color, transcending its aesthetic appeal, has been a significant factor in shaping economic landscapes throughout human history, influencing trade, manufacturing, and cultural expression. This study explores the complex economic implications of color, tracing its influence from ancient civilizations to the present day, and its persistent relevance across diverse industries. The exploitation of color dates back to prehistoric times, with the use of natural pigments from minerals, plants, and animals for artistic and personal decoration. As societies advanced, the need for vivid and long-lasting colorants grew, leading to the evolution of more refined extraction and synthesis methods. The emergence of textile manufacturing during the medieval and early modern periods amplified the economic importance of color. The need for bright, fade-resistant dyes led to the expansion of dyeing centers and specialized guilds. The introduction of new dyestuffs, such as cochineal from the Americas and indigo from India, disrupted traditional trade routes and triggered economic changes. In the contemporary era, the economic implications of color extend beyond textiles to various sectors, including printing, painting, cosmetics, and food industries. The quest for environmentally friendly and sustainable colorants has become a significant economic catalyst, responding to increasing environmental concerns and consumer demands, spurring innovation, and opening new economic avenues. The study investigates the predictability of color's economic value, emphasizing the relative stability stemming from the fundamental human attraction to color and its psychological influence on consumer behavior, while recognizing the unpredictability introduced by disruptive forces, technological advancements, and evolving societal norms. It also scrutinizes the potential constraints of historical studies, such as cultural biases, quantification challenges, and the rapidly changing modern landscape. The study introduces mathematical models that strive to quantify the economic value of color, factoring in aspects like consumer preferences, target market size, product pricing, color differentiation, and brand value. These models aim to offer approximate estimates and insights into the potential economic impact of color choices in various product and market scenarios.
... Color has been extensively studied as a crucial factor in marketing and consumer psychology (for reviews, see Labrecque 2020; Labrecque, Patrick, and Milne 2013). There are three dimensions of color: hue (i.e., the spectral wavelength composition of a color), saturation (i.e., the degree of intensity of a color), and lightness (i.e., the relative lightness or darkness of a color) (Hagtvedt and Adam Brasel 2017). Each color dimension can affect consumers' perceptions and judgments. ...
Article
Full-text available
Product efficacy is a crucial consideration in consumer's purchasing decisions. However, assessing product efficacy is often challenging for consumers owing to its unobservability, thus prompting them to depend on observable cues for evaluation. This research examines the impact of a visually perceptible cue—package color lightness—on consumer judgment of product efficacy. Using a field study and three experimental studies, we demonstrate that consumers perceive products with darker‐colored (vs. lighter‐colored) packages as having a higher concentration of ingredients, leading them to judge the products as more (or less) effective. Nonetheless, this perception also leads to an associated concern regarding side effects. We further uncover that consumption goals—whether prioritizing effectiveness or safety—moderate consumer preference for products in darker‐colored versus lighter‐colored packaging. These findings enrich existing literature on color and product efficacy judgment and provide insights for marketers focused on efficacious products and visual design.
... How a product's size is perceived moreover influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
Chapter
People largely perceive their environment visually and visual impressions are often available before those of the other senses. Therefore, how retail environments are visually designed is an important driver of retailers’ success by guiding consumer behavior and contributing to a generally pleasant atmosphere. Eye-catching designs can draw attention and unique design concepts can communicate a brand’s image. Popular examples are the Hans im Glück restaurant chain and the Apple Stores with their brand-specific visual concepts. Many retailers also make use of social media-ready visual design elements and, for example, house selfie walls or even design “instagrammable” structures such as Bikini Mall Berlin, which installed a wall of plants and flowers with a swing in front that not only allowed visitors to take pretty pictures but also staged brands. In this chapter, we explore how visual design elements such as lighting, color, and product arrangements affect consumer behavior. We provide guidance on how to integrate visual design elements in stores and also discuss the role of in-store technologies in shaping customer experiences.
... How a product's size is perceived moreover influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
Chapter
If brick-and-mortar retail were a company stock, most analysts would probably recommend that investors should sell it. Currently, improved online shop systems, faster logistics, and a generation of consumers who spend a significant amount of their time online are all driving the increasing share of online purchases. This also holds for products that managers long assumed would be exclusively sold in stationary retail stores. The consequences are obvious in many cities: Empty city centers and vanishing retail stores increasingly characterize the urban landscape. Despite decades of dead sayings, physical stores are not dead. On the contrary, for example, roughly 90% of retail revenues in Germany are generated in physical stores and major US retailers such as Target and Walmart have announced multi-billion-dollar investments in their physical stores in an effort to improve customer experience and target new markets. One reason that stationary retail is alive and well is that physical stores have an unbeatable advantage over online retail. They can create multisensory experiences by providing consumers with sensory stimulation across their various senses. We provide insights into the latest research findings on sensory marketing relating to vision, sound, and scent as well as their interaction—with some surprising results.
... How a product's size is perceived moreover influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
Chapter
After more than 40 years of research on the use of music in retail environments, there is no doubt that music influences consumer behavior at the point of sale. A meta-analytic review of 25 studies covering a range of different types of music has shown that music has a positive influence on consumers’ shopping experience and buying behavior. Indeed, marketing practice has long recognized this effect and taken advantage of it. Not surprisingly, music has become one of the most frequently used stimuli in the atmospheric design of retail environments. This is not only due to music’s potential to elicit favorable consumer responses but also because it is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement in retail environments. In this chapter, we discuss how different properties of music such as tempo and volume affect consumer behavior and provide an overview of guiding questions for the use of music in retail environments.
... How a product's size is perceived moreover influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
... How a product's size is perceived moreover influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
Chapter
The previous chapters described the relevance and impact of individual sensory stimuli on consumer behavior. In retail, however, the reality is considerably more complex. Consumers inevitably perceive retail environments and products in a multisensory way (i.e., simultaneously with all their senses). Thus, the presence of one sensory stimulus (e.g., scent) can influence how consumers react to another stimulus (e.g., music). Specifically, stimuli that appeal to different sensory modalities reinforce or complement one another, thereby influencing the perception and evaluation of the retail environment, the retailer, individual products, or even brands. Combining a scent with specific background music can, for example, lead to an enhanced shopping experience compared to using scent or music in isolation. In general, a multisensory approach has stronger effects on consumers than simply adding other stimuli appealing to the same sensory modality. The chapter highlights the concept of multisensory congruence, where stimuli that fit well together enhance evaluations of the retail environment, products, and brands. Additionally, we discuss the concept of crossmodal correspondences, illustrating how perceptions in one sensory modality can influence perceptions in another sensory modality.
... A good design work can give people a great visual shock and can, to a great extent, meet the people for the aesthetic requirements [10][11][12][13]. In the visual aspect, the color matching in traditional art is more vivid and flexible, which can bring the public a sharp visual contrast through the use of color contrast [14][15][16]. The use of traditional art colors in graphic design can bring a more harmonious color feeling and strengthen the visual effect to a large extent [17][18]. ...
Article
Full-text available
This paper provides a detailed description of the key technologies of the ICC color management system, including device color matching, adaptive color gamut matching, and the color beauty optimization algorithm. A series of engineering experiments of color matching and cyclic optimization were carried out, and the case study method was used to obtain evaluation indexes such as color difference, color gamut, visual effect, and PBI index value and explore the advantages of ICC color management system application. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in the color difference value of the color block before and after the intelligent matching output, typically by 2–6 times. The maximum color difference in primary and secondary matching is no more than 4, and the color matching degree increases, indicating that intelligent matching is effective. In the interior decoration design case study, the PBI index increased from less than 50% to more than 50% after the optimization of the ICC color management system, while the mean value of the overall evaluation was higher, and the subjects were more agreeable to the design color evaluation.
... Color also affects perceptions of container size, spatial atmosphere, and speed. The saturation of packaging color can influence consumers' perceptions of container size, increasing the perceived volume (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Consumers may view high-saturation packaging as less healthy than low-saturation packaging for the same product (Mead & Richerson, 2018). ...
... Expressive aesthetics captures the concepts of creativity and originality and includes the items "creative," "special effects," "original," "sophisticated," and "fascinating." Expressive aesthetics go beyond the classical principles and reflect the designer's creativity and expressive power to play a critical role in numerous visual design and marketing environments, including product packaging (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017), retail environments (Liu et al., 2018), and even food (Gupta & Hagtvedt, 2021;Yu & Liu, 2023). ...
... Extensive literature has investigated the psychological functioning of color (Babin et al., 2003;Elliot & Maier, 2007Gundlach & Macoubrey, 1931;Hagtvedt & Adam Brasel, 2017;Mehta & Zhu, 2009;Puccinelli et al., 2013;Valdez & Mehrabian, 1994). In particular, considerable attention has been paid to psychological and behavioral reactions to warm and cold colors (Bagchi & Cheema, 2013;Elliot & Maier, 2012Labrecque & Milne, 2012;Valdez & Mehrabian, 1994). ...
Article
Full-text available
This study investigates the impact of social exclusion on consumer preferences for color combinations. Drawing on findings from five experimental studies, we demonstrate that individuals who have experienced social exclusion display a heightened preference for analogous color combinations, as opposed to complementary ones, compared to those who have not experienced social exclusion. Our research posits that this preference arises from the feeling of conflict induced by social exclusion, leading individuals to choose products and environments with analogous colors as a coping mechanism to alleviate this feeling of conflict. By establishing a connection between social exclusion and color combination preferences, our study contributes to a deeper comprehension of the factors influencing consumer choices in the realm of color. Furthermore, we demonstrate the broader consequences of social exclusion on consumer behavior. Our research also indicates that utilizing analogous color combinations in both product and interior design can substantially enhance the appeal for socially excluded individuals.
... Value is the level of a color's darkness, and low-value colors veer toward black, while high-value colors lean toward the pure hue of the focal color. Variations in these color dimensions can alter customers' perceptions and preferences (Bagchi and Cheema 2013;Buechel and Townsend 2018;Deng, Hui, and Hutchinson 2010;Gorn et al. 1997Gorn et al. , 2004Hagtvedt and Brasel 2017). For example, compared with logos with less saturated colors, logos with more saturated colors can make brands appear more exciting and competent (Labrecque and Milne 2012). ...
Article
Why, how, and when can logos with a blue positive space communicate competence versus sadness? Why, how, and when might logos with a red positive space evoke impressions of liveliness versus aggressiveness? As the current research establishes, a black background strengthens the negative meanings associated with the hue of a logo’s positive space and weakens its positive meanings. Conversely, a white background strengthens its positive meanings and weakens its negative meanings. These automatic effects occur because the hue of the positive space interacts with the color of the negative space to determine whether logos communicate positive or negative brand impressions more vividly. These effects are broadly applicable to both well-known and unknown brands, yet they are attenuated for meaningful logos and filled-frame logos. With these novel findings, this article identifies specific factors that can alter the meanings of logo hues, provides a theoretical lens for understanding the interplay of the background color and the hue of the positive space, and offers guidelines for crafting effective logos. This article also reveals which brands can benefit most from conveying negative impressions through their logos: Logos with a black (white) background enhance evaluations of brands that possess negatively (positively) valenced personality traits.
... In marketing research, there is a focus on the impact of product packaging on consumer responses. It includes various aspects such as product properties (color, size, volume, and pattern), attention, brand perception, purchase intention, willingness to pay, and consumer behavior (36,(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49). However, the impact of transparent organic food packaging products on consumers' green purchasing behavior has not received widespread attention. ...
Article
Full-text available
Previous studies have shown that transparent packaging can influence consumer behavior, but the impact on tourists' environmentally friendly purchase intentions is not well-understood. This study conducted four experiments with 1,513 participants to explore the role of transparent packaging in tourists' willingness to engage in green purchasing. Factors such as ecological concern, nature connectedness, and environmental consequences were also examined. The results showed that transparent packaging significantly enhanced tourists' purchase intentions and that ecological concern, nature connectedness, and environmental consequences had a significant influence on these intentions. These findings contribute to understanding the packaging paradox and its relationship with tourists' green purchasing behavior. The study has implications for the food retail industry and the promotion of sustainable development in scenic areas, suggesting that transparent packaging can effectively enhance tourists' purchase intentions for green products. Understanding factors like ecological concern and nature connectedness can also provide valuable insights for the industry to improve marketing strategies and promote environmentally friendly choices among tourists.
... In consumer research, the presence of ambient odours is strictly avoided so that aroma analysis can focus on the olfactory object in question (Mahmud et al., 2020). Consumer research has also shown that certain smells influence consumers' perceptions of colours (Hagtvedt and Brasel, 2017) and textures (Demattè et al., 2006). Keeping a log helps me stay alert to the presence of odours around me, which could be used for later systematic evaluation of olfactory bias in my data interpretation. ...
Article
This paper proposes a multi-method olfactory inquiry to document the rich ways in which children's sense of smell is embodied and embedded in an interplay of senses and socio-spatial relationships. I approach olfaction as a conceptual strategy and connect it to socio-material and socio-spatial theories to illustrate the ways in which close empirical attention to olfaction can provide new insights into children's sensory experiences. An olfactory research inquiry rests on traditional (e.g. SmellMaps and SmellLogs) and speculative (e.g. Ododata and Olfactoscapes) olfactory techniques that invite adults’ and children's agentic responses to odours through relational, dynamic, and non-linguistic modes. As a critical sub-methodology of sensory inquiries, olfactory inquiry can help us re-think normative, homogenizing, mind-body relations in early childhood research and practice.
... How a product's size is perceived influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
... How a product's size is perceived influences the perception of its surroundings. While objects in rich colors seem larger, their surroundings appear smaller (Hagtvedt & Brasel, 2017). Retailers who want to direct consumers' attention to a specific product can thus consider maximizing the color contrast between the product and its surroundings. ...
Chapter
After more than 40 years of research on the use of music in retail environments, researchers agree that music has positive effects at the POS. A meta-analytic review of 25 studies covering a range of different types of music has shown that music has a positive influence on consumers’ shopping experience and buying behavior. Indeed, marketing practice has long recognized this effect and taken advantage of it. Not surprisingly, music has become one of the most frequently used stimuli in the atmospheric design of retail environments. This is not only due to music’s potential to elicit favorable consumer responses, but also because it is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement in retail environments.
Article
Full-text available
Sensory marketing has garnered significant attention from researchers due to its ability to effectively influence consumer behavior at a subconscious level. However, existing reviews are constrained by either limited scope or methodology, often focusing on specific senses, or domains, or using solely quantitative or qualitative methods. This offers an opportunity to comprehensively synthesize the existing literature and provide direction for future research. Building on this, the present study examines 535 articles assembled, arranged, and assessed using the SPAR‐4‐SLR protocol for a thorough review of sensory marketing literature spanning four decades (1984–2023). The review employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to summarize the diverse research and provide detailed insights from the existing body of literature. The quantitative approach, utilizing keyword co‐occurrence analysis identifies five thematic clusters—sensory cues as communication strategy, sensory experiences in technologically advanced era, taste perception and food consumption, visual perception, and olfactory perception. Furthermore, the qualitative review technique, utilizing the Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology (TCCM) framework reveals prevalent theories and primary research contexts, along with distinctive characteristics and methodologies. Based on these analyses suggestions for potential areas of future research have been stated.
Article
Pupil responses have been investigated for over half a century and can capture insights into consumer behaviour beyond what can be obtained by traditional marketing and consumer research methods alone. Variations in pupil size can reveal underlying psychological processes, including cognitive load, arousal, and emotional reappraisal, that occur in response to marketing stimuli. However, this review highlights that there has been limited application of pupillometry in the existing marketing and consumer research literature. Furthermore, many marketing and consumer research studies employing pupillometry suffer from methodological limitations and a lack of consensus on the psychological parameters that can be measured through changes in pupil size. To demonstrate the appropriate application of pupillometry and to enhance the successful adoption of pupillometry in marketing and consumer research, this review provides an overview of: (1) methodological considerations and potential confounding factors for pupillometric responses; (2) the psychological mechanisms and parameters underlying pupillometric responses; (3) the potential avenues through which pupillometry can be leveraged in marketing and consumer research; and (4) the benefits of applying pupillometry rather than, or jointly with, other psychophysiological and neuromarketing techniques.
Article
Full-text available
10 The Egyptian government has recently established many governmental mass housing projects to meet 11 the housing needs nationwide. These projects are characterized by their unified repetitive design that rarely 12 consider geographic, climatic and social variations from one site to another. The study objectives are to examine 13 the health performance of mass housing projects; "Dar Misr" as an example. Dar Misr consists of 150,000 units 14 distributed over 15 different cities, and is fully finished with unified electrical installations and preinstalled 15 luminaires. The study examines the health performance of the project's lighting design, both natural and 16 electrical light, using the "WELLV2 rating system as an evaluation tool method. WELLV2 is especially designed 17 to rate buildings according to their health performance to eliminate the phenomena of related building illnesses 18 worldwide. Field measurements and computer assisted simulations were done using luxmeter and Relux TM 19 tools. Lighting design of the study unit was examined in terms of intensity, uniformity, dimmability, glare, 20 flickering, color reproduction and Melanopic ratio for both natural and electrical light sources. The study 21 revealed lack of light intensity, improper light temperature, insufficient uniformity, high glare rates, high 22 flickering, and low CRI values, all resulting in significant health impacts like visual blurring, eye fatigue, strain, 23 headache, and insomnia. Previous studies have examined the performance of mass housing projects in terms of 24 functionality, feasibility and sustainability, but this study examines their health impact and gives 25 recommendations and modifications to improve their health-related performance. Further research is 26 recommended to reveal the health impacts of mass housing projects in other design aspects (e.g. acoustics, 27 thermal performance, ergonomics, etc.), to alleviate the possible negative health outcomes over thousands of 28 families for years to come. 29
Article
Many tourist destinations and hospitality companies are using the idea of “naturalness” to attract consumers in the post‐pandemic era. The current research explores the impact of color, a fundamental element in tourism marketing materials, on shaping tourists' perceptions of naturalness and subsequent purchase intention. Through three experimental studies, our research reveals a lay belief that associates color saturation with naturalness perception. While prior research has indicated that highly saturated colors can positively impact consumers, our findings suggest that this effect may not always hold. Specifically, low color saturation in tourism marketing materials increased tourists' perceptions of naturalness and purchase intentions. These findings contribute to the theoretical development of color psychology and support the development of sustainable tourism and hospitality practices that prioritize managing natural resources.
Article
Purpose The purpose of this study is to assist brand and product managers in selecting appropriate ingredient names for environmentally friendly products. It investigates the effects of unfamiliar ingredients on consumers’ evaluations of environmental friendliness and their purchase intentions, based on the cue consistency theory. Design/methodology/approach Five experimental studies ( n = 968) were conducted to achieve the research objectives. Study 1 found that consumers tended to avoid choosing unfamiliar ingredients. Study 2 examined the impact of ingredient familiarity on consumers’ perceived greenness. Study 3 investigated the mediating role of perceived naturalness. Studies 4 and 5, respectively, explored the moderating effects of emphasizing the importance of technology in environmental conservation and product category. Findings The findings indicate that when environmentally friendly products are labeled with unfamiliar ingredients (vs. familiar), consumers’ perceived greenness and purchase intentions decrease. This effect is mediated by perceived naturalness. Moreover, the negative impact of unfamiliar ingredients is mitigated by emphasizing the importance of technology and the high-tech product category. Originality/value This paper reveals the unique role of unfamiliar ingredients in shaping consumer attitudes toward environmentally friendly products. Based on cue consistency theory, it uncovers how unfamiliar ingredients influence the perceived greenness of environmentally friendly products through perceived naturalness. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the impact of emphasizing the importance of technology (emphasis vs. control) and product category (high-tech vs. low-tech) on consumer attitudes and behaviors toward environmentally friendly products.
Article
Existing literature on gift‐giving mainly views gifts and blessings as intertwined into a single entity. Our research, however, has found that visual blessing frames—visual boundaries that encircle the blessing text—can separate blessings from gifts and emphasize the blessings, thereby satisfying givers who choose gifts for interpersonally distant recipients. Across three experiments (involving a total of 1228 participants) via the Credamo platform, we explored the interplay between visual blessing frames and giver‐recipient interpersonal distance on gift evaluation. Specifically, when choosing gifts for interpersonally distant recipients, givers favor gifts adorned with visual blessing frames over those without such designs; however, this effect is attenuated when choosing gifts for close recipients. Moreover, we demonstrate that this effect is driven by givers' perception that visual blessing frames strengthen blessings. These findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge on visual frames and gift‐giving, while also offering practical implications for gift packaging designers.
Article
The current research examines when and how product-background color combinations (analogous vs. complementary) influence consumers' perception of brand innovativeness. Across four studies, the authors find that analogous combinations lead to higher perceptions of brand innovativeness compared to complementary combinations. The effect occurs because analogous combinations are more difficult to process and, thus, result in higher perceptions of brand innovativeness. However, this effect is reduced for those familiar with the target brand. Importantly, by enhancing perceptions of brand innovativeness, analogous combinations can positively or negatively influence consumers’ purchase intentions, depending on their self-construal. Our findings provide valuable insights for both theory and marketing practice.
Article
Full-text available
In the realm of retailing, various methods of product presentation exert a significant influence on consumers' perceptions and behaviors. In the context of fashion retailing, one crucial aspect of presentation revolves around outfit coordination (OC), which can be displayed in either an assembled or unassembled manner. Assembled OC entails displaying fashion items collectively on a body, while unassembled OC involves presenting them individually on a flat background. Drawing from the literature on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of attention, this research explores the impact of assembled versus unassembled OC on consumers' imagery elaboration, attention, and product evaluations, employing three online experiments. In the first study (N = 126), we demonstrate that assembled OC, in contrast to unassembled OC, fosters greater imagery elaboration and elicits more positive product evaluations. Building upon these findings, the second study (N = 214) employs a serial mediation analysis to unveil the underlying mechanism involving shifted attention. The third study (N = 182) explores the moderating effect of fashion involvement, revealing that for consumers with a high level of fashion involvement, unassembled OC, rather than assembled OC, leads to higher levels of imagery elaboration and more favorable product evaluations. This research not only enriches the literature on online retailing and visual communication, but also provides actionable insights for industry practitioners on effectively presenting fashion products to online shoppers.
Article
Full-text available
Marketers today are increasingly using storytelling to engage their audiences. However, the design of narrative visuals is often inspired by a text-centric understanding of narratives. Despite the fast increase in visual content and the distinct processing it induces, extant research on visual narrativity remains fragmented, lacking a comprehensive framework to explain how a single still image can convey a narrative. Our literature review addresses this gap through the lens of narrative transportation theory. Based on a systematic review of 64 articles from marketing and adjacent disciplines, the authors propose that an image must narrate, act, and resonate (NAR) to stimulate narrative processing and transport viewers into its narrative. They also identify specific visual features that can facilitate this process and explore how characteristics of the storyteller, story receiver, and story settings can influence the strength of visual narrative transportation (VNT). Finally, the authors highlight affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses of transported viewers. This research extends narrative transportation theory to the visual domain, offering practical design principles that can be easily applied by marketing professionals. It also outlines an actionable research agenda for marketing scholars to further explore visual narrativity.
Article
When shopping online, it is difficult to estimate size from visual cues in the form of product images. While package shape and color have been discussed as factors influencing perceptions of product size, this research focuses on the influence of visual cues, such as the number of dimensions of the product image (i.e., two‐dimensional image vs. three‐dimensional image) on perceptions of product size. This study involved three surveys whose results revealed that three‐dimensional product images are perceived as larger products than two‐dimensional product images. Moreover, three‐dimensional product images positively influenced perceived product weight, suggesting a downstream effect from perceived weight on willingness to pay (WTP, Study 3). The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of how consumers perceive product size from product images in online retailing. Specifically, the results of this study extend our understanding of the mechanisms behind product size perception by including the influential factor of product image dimensionality in size perception bias. In addition, these findings have practical implications. In recent years, food packaging has become smaller, but consumers may react negatively to smaller packages, even when the volume of the contents remains unchanged. For these practical concerns, it may be possible to mitigate the negative effects of downsizing by presenting product images in a three‐dimensional format.
Article
Populist radical right (PRR) parties tend to stress their differences from other parties. Yet at the same time, PRR parties have increasingly sought to integrate into party systems across the globe. In seeking to understand the way that PRR parties negotiate this paradoxical situation, the literature tends to focus on their policy offerings or discourse. We, on the contrary, investigate an underestimated aspect of their political communication: their visuals. Namely, we focus on the question of if and how PRR parties communicate their similarities or differences from other parties via the color profiles of their logos, given that color is a key way that political parties can signal (a) their ideological commitments (via hue) and (b) their approach to “valence” considerations (via saturation). We expect PRR parties’ attempts to signal their integration into party systems to be mainly sought via saturation, as a proxy for valence perceptions related to parties’ seriousness and competence, while we expect them to signal their difference from other parties via hue, given the incentive for PRR parties to communicate their ideological distance from non-populist parties as a marker of distinctiveness in the political market. We test our research questions by analyzing parties’ logos across 35 democracies in recent elections. Results largely confirm our expectations, demonstrating the utility of focusing on the visual aspects of PRR parties’ political communication. Interestingly, the results do not replicate if we focus on populist parties beyond the PRR party family.
Article
Purpose The symbolic presentation of products through images in online environments allows consumers to use or experience products only through imagination. Existing literature has demonstrated that providing sensory cues is an effective way to promote imaginative use or experience. However, such an approach seems to have been proposed for product that requires the use of body-related information (e.g. sensory information) for evaluation (high body-involving product). There is less literature on how to facilitate consumers’ imaginative use of product that requires relatively less bodily information (low body-involving product). Considering this, this research proposes a factor that influences the imaginative use of both high and low body-involving products, the character cues in the product image. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, two studies are conducted to verify the matching effect about presence or absence of character cues with product type (high body-involving vs. low body-involving) in facilitating imaginative use and the downstream effect. Findings The experimental results indicate that high (low) body-involving product display images are suitable for present (absent) character cues, which can promote the mental imagery of use the product, increase perceived image attractiveness and ultimately increase purchase intentions. The research also verified the influence of distance between the product and the character cues on the above effects. Originality/value We expand on the importance of character cues in product display images in an e-commerce environment and enrich the research about imaginative use in online environment.
Article
Full-text available
The main purpose of this paper is to investigate how the number, perceived intensity, and frequency of sensory involvement in the consumer-brand relationship, impact brand perception. The research was conducted on a sample of 189 respondents from the Republic of Croatia. To test the hypotheses factor and regression analyses were used. The main findings of this research are: a) involvement of multiple senses in the consumer-brand relationship has a positive effect on brand perception; b) the greater the frequency of involving multiple senses in the consumer-brand relationship, the more positive effect it has on brand perception; and c) the higher intensity of sensory involvement in the consumer-brand relationship does not have a significant effect on brand perception. This research contributes to marketing and brand management literature by investigating the importance of sensory marketing, more specifically number, perceived intensity, and frequency of sensory involvement on brand perception.
Article
Full-text available
Product size misperceptions are a common problem for consumers when shopping online. To help their peers estimate a product's size, customers often include a size referent next to the focal product when adding photos to their online reviews. The purpose of this article is to investigate the effects of user‐provided review photos (with and without a size referent) on online review helpfulness. From two online experiments and one eye‐tracking lab experiment, this article finds that photo‐enhanced reviews that include a size referent object can improve review helpfulness. In study 1, eye‐tracking data shows that consumers pay greater attention to the photo and less to the text when the size referent is included. Study 2 shows that size referents are more helpful when consumers have limited experience with the product and the size referent is familiar. The role of perceived reviewer effort is investigated as a mediator to explain this result. Study 3 shows that the effects of a familiar size referent are robust when the seller provides detailed size information but vary depending on review valence.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.