Packaging: Visual Attractiveness & Shelf Impact
Measure shelf stopping power, visual engagement, and the implicit preference for your packaging designs through eye-tracking and implicit testing.
The Client Problem
A premium skincare brand is launching a full packaging redesign of its iconic range and must choose between 3 creative directions to maximize shelf impact in pharmacies and e-commerce.
The creative brief contrasts a minimalist and refined direction, a golden premium direction, and a botanical naturalness direction. Internal opinions differ. Objective, non-declarative consumer data is needed.
Identified Challenges
- Quantify shelf impact: time to first fixation and stopping power on shelf
- Measure visual engagement and dwell time for each design
- Assess implicit associations (luxury, naturalness, effectiveness, trust)
- Test performance in an e-commerce context (thumbnail, product page)
Multi-context evaluation of visual attractiveness
Targeted Consumer Panel
Regular buyers of premium facial skincare in pharmacies and online.
Eye-Tracking Shelf + IAT + Facial Coding
Complete battery combining implicit and explicit measures.
Baseline
Reference measurements at rest to establish individual baseline levels
Virtual Shelf Test
Pharmacy shelf simulation in eye-tracking: first fixation time (TTFF), dwell time, visual path
Implicit Association Test (IAT)
Measurement of automatic associations: luxury, naturalness, effectiveness, modernity for each design
E-commerce Evaluation
Performance in digital context: thumbnail clickability, product page, price perception
Preference mapping
Preference ranking + conversational avatar to make the choice drivers explicit
Packaging performance metrics
Shelf Impact Score
Composite score integrating first fixation time (TTFF), stopping power, and relative dwell time on shelf.
Implicit Associations
Image profile measured by IAT: which values the packaging automatically activates.
Digital Performance
Simulated CTR in thumbnail, time spent on the product page, price perception.
Preference Drivers
AI conversational analysis of verbatims to identify the key choice attributes.
Conversational Avatar
AI-guided interview to collect stated perceptions.
The winning design identified
Design A — Minimalist
KeptBest shelf impact (TTFF 2.1s) and strongest implicit associations on "premium" and "effectiveness". Share of attention on shelf: 18% vs 9% category average.
Design B — Gold premium
No. 2Strong "luxury" score in IAT but slower TTFF (3.4s). Performs better in e-commerce than on the physical shelf.
E-Commerce Performance
+42% CTRDesign A generates 42% more clicks than the current design in the thumbnail simulation. Time spent on the product page +28%.
Cross-Cultural Fit
UniversalDesign A ranks #1 across the 4 markets. Minimal variation in implicit associations: consistent image profile.
Data ready for the validation board
"Superior shelf impact: seen first on shelf"
TTFF 2.1s vs. 3.8s category average, 250 participants, 4 countries (p<0.001)
"Perceived as the most premium in its category"
IAT "luxury" score significantly higher than the 4 tested competitors
"Proven e-commerce performance: +42% clicks"
Simulated thumbnail test, e-retail environment, 250 participants
"Universal design: #1 in all tested markets"
Cross-cultural consistency validated across 4 countries (FR, US, KR, BR)
Are you redesigning your packaging?
Validate visual attractiveness and shelf impact with neuroscientific data.