Using Color–Odor Correspondences for Fragrance Packaging Design

Keywords

Fragrance, Color, Congruency, Package, Design, Buying intention

Abstract

Fragrance companies may use colors in packaging design to communicate the properties of their fragrances. Packages with matching colors may have an additional advantage: some studies suggest that consumers prefer offerings for which all sensory impressions are congruent. Hence, we investigated whether consumers are more likely to buy fragrances with a matching package.

For five fragrances we created a package, based on a harmonious combination of three colors that obtained high odor–color goodness-of fit ratings in a previous study. Packages were identical in design, except for the colors used. The appropriateness ratings for the five packages were indeed found to be related to the ratings for its major colors.

Subsequently, we assessed the degree to which participants were likely to buy different fragrance–package combinations. However, buying intentions were not affected by the degree of matching between fragrance and packaging. Instead, they were typically dependent on the degree of liking for the fragrance and, to a lesser extent, on the degree of liking for the package.

Original Publication Citation

Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2015-12

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/6112

Publisher

Food Quality and Preference

Language

English

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology

Department

Technology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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