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Abstract This research project aims to define the benefits of incorporating tactility into design and how it influences purchases, in order for texture to be fully appreciated as a marketing tool. This will be investigated through the exploration of trends in packaging design, analysing how material selection and association impact the consumer’s perception of a product’s value. By highlighting the marketing trends that subtly determine the consumer’s decision, this research project will explore why we buy what we buy and the significance of texture and tactility to consumption habits. These areas will be approached through a literature review, observation, interview and survey in order to gain a deeper understanding of the marketing techniques that designers and visual merchandisers use. The research gathered will be evaluated in order to inform a design proposition which addresses the touch, tactility and consumption.
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Table of Contents
Abstract – 2 Figure List - 4 Introduction - 5 Literature Review - 5 Research Methodology and Findings - 9 Conclusion - 12 Design Brief - 13 Bibliography - 14 Appendix - 15
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Figure List Figure 1: Authors Own, 2019
Figure 2: ArtCenter News, 2013. Designer Showcase spotlights alumnus and trustee Kit Hinrichs and packaging projects by Art Center students. [online] Available at: http://blogs.artcenter.edu/dottedline/2013/03/01/designer-showcase-spotlightstrustee-kit-hinrichs-and-packaging-projects-by-art-center-students/ [Date Accessed: 20 April 2019]
Figure 3: Learning 4 Kids, unknown. List of Sensory Play Activities and Ideas. [online] Available at: https://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/ [Date Accessed: 20 April 2019]
Figure 4: Team Consulting, unknown. Multi-Sensory Experience. [online] Available at: https://www.team-consulting.com/insights/multi-sensory-experiences/ [Date Accessed: 18 April 2019]
Figure 5: Whittard Chelsea, 2018. Luxury Hot Chocolate [online] Available at: https://www.whittard.co.uk/hot-chocolate/discover-hot-chocolate/hotchocolate/luxury-hot-chocolate304162.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw7_rlBRBaEiwAc23rhnmFZC1octwMTE077bOSOdJ9w _rhcC6TRSjIPViq8Lz5yQvPaBf7ehoC76sQAvD_BwE [Date Accessed: 22 April 2019]
Figure 6: Influenster, 2018. Great Value : Milk Chocolate Flavored Hot Cocoa Mix [online] Available at: https://www.influenster.com/reviews/great-value-milk-chocolateflavored-hot-cocoa-mix [Date Accessed: 22 April 2019]
Figures 7 & 8: The Perfume Society, 2019. Marc Jacobs [online] Available at: https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/marc-jacobs-2/ [Date Accessed: 23 April 2019] Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13: Author’s Own, 2019
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Introduction Upon entering a children’s toy retailer, the consumer is likely to encounter plush stuffed animals, dolls adorned with silky hair and building blocks lined with raised studs. These are all objects purposely designed to attract/engage a child’s sense of touch. Toy designers understand the essentiality of sensory play in the development of a child, designing toys which stimulate the senses and allow them to understand objects through texture. As a result, sensory considerations within design are often focused on young children and the disabled, to aid brain development and cognitive thinking. However, adults should not be exempt from sensory stimulation. Despite their obvious advancement in cognitive understanding, users remain sensitive to texture in adult life, whether consciously or subconsciously. Advertising and marketing experts and designers have taken advantage of this realisation by implementing texture as a marketing tool.
This research project explores how texture and tactility influence user judgement within a commercial context. The sense of touch is vital when it comes to understanding the user’s environment. Therefore it can be expected that an object can be intuitively understood by its texture alone. Within the marketplace, a product’s texture can reveal its purpose, value and quality to the consumer. Accordingly, with the array of products available to purchase, designers and visual merchandisers are creating tactile experiences within their products in order to appeal to consumers, increase customer engagement and differentiate themselves from their competitors. In this way, texture is used as a marketing tool and consumers’ respond to this with both their physical interaction and their visual perception of a product. The effects of material association, sensory recognition and packaging trends on the consumers’ perception of a product can be extremely persuasive and help determine the consumer’s purchases.
Literature Review This literature review will utilise secondary research, using the analysis to explore the subject matter and contribute to the creation of an appropriate product. It will firstly examine the significance of texture as a communicator in order to establish haptic communication as a universal method of interaction. It will then focus on the strategic use of tactility in marketing to inform the form and feel of commodities such as perfume and food packaging, exploring how strongly texture influences the 5
consumer compared to the predominant senses that these products engage - smell and taste respectively. Next the emergence of aesthetic trends in visual merchandising will be analysed, highlighting the resulting impact of material association on the consumer’s purchase. This literature review will also analyse the sometimes detrimental effect of value perception and reveal how businesses use texture to exploit consumers’ need for luxury and gratification through consumption.
Texture is the feel, appearance or consistency of a surface or substance (Oxford Dictionary, 2019). Its definition suggests that the implementation of textiles is fundamentally aesthetic. While this interpretation is valid, it disregards how functional texture can be. It is common to rely on our sense of sight to function appropriately. However “no longer limited to purely visual channels, information can be communicated by touch” (Khurana, M., 2017). Elements of a product that are understood through visual channels can include the colour, the labelling or the size of a product. Although the sight of an object is what first attracts the consumers’ attention, the feel, form and texture are what prolong the consumer’s attention and lead to physical interaction. Within a commercial context, using texture to communicate purpose is more subtle than literal word description. This is particularly useful when considering visual merchandising, which often relies on subconscious cues to influence the consumer into compliance by purchasing the intended product, thus increasing sales. In comparison, outright persuasion would be much less successful. The subtlety of using texture to sell a product deceives the consumer into thinking that they made a purchase out of their own volition and this demonstrates how powerful texture is as a communicator.
As well as communicating purpose, texture and tactility communicate emotion. Within design, digitalisation is often seen as the solution for more efficient communication between consumer and product or consumer and service. While this may be true, the use of screens and interfaces reduces the emotional engagement of the user by dulling the sense of touch. For example within gaming design, the texture of the button on the controller and the action of pressing it can be cathartic for the user. In comparison, pressing a virtual button on a screen does not evoke the same release of emotion. In a design climate that considers digitalisation as synonymous with advancement, the innovation behind tactility should not be overlooked. The use of texture creates a more intuitive experience for the user and requires more physical engagement 6
The ability of texture to communicate and stimulate emotion enables it to be manipulated into a marketing tool. Therefore, the selection of materials and form by a designer are critical (Zuo, H., et al, 2016) as the majority of consumers focus on visual appearance (Anon., 2018). A product’s packaging can alter the consumer’s perception of its value. By utilising materials and techniques seen as synonymous with luxury and sophistication such as embossed lettering or minimalistic design, a brand can instantly communicate that their products are high-end. As well as convincing the customer of the product’s calibre and reliability, ‘expensive’ packaging aids the justification of expensive pricing, even if the actual product is unexceptional. In the same way, mundane packaging can discourage the consumer from purchasing a product as plain unembellished design can be perceived as being of low quality.
Of all the industries, the influence of packaging is most evident within the food and drinks industry (Chadwick, P., 2016). Namely, consumers can easily recognise many healthy or organic food products by their common trend - the use of brown paper bag texture to communicate modesty, humble roots and a lack of processed food. Whittard of Chelsea is an international retailer of luxury hot drinks which is evident by its appearance. Firstly, the accents of gold catch the consumer’s eye and secondly the intricate illustrations which are slightly raised on the surface solidify the viewer’s attention by encouraging the consumer to touch the product. Both elements signify elegance and exclusivity. In comparison, the two dimensional packaging of the own brand hot chocolate is much less desirable and less likely to be purchased.
Evidently, tactile feedback and value perception of the Whittard’s product can cause a positive user experience for the consumer. We as consumers often purchase luxurious items because they make us look good to others or feel good about ourselves (Kasser, T., 2003). The texture and feel of the packaging appeals to this need for gratification through the products we consume. Unfortunately luxury food packaging can be deceitful and often the ingredients in a high end food are the
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same, as that of its lower quality counterpart. Ultimately the intention of the visual merchandisers is to use texture as a tool to encourage consumption.
It can be suggested that using texture as a marketing tool distracts the consumer and causes a lack of appreciation for the actual product as there is more emphasis on outer appearance. This is true to an extent as aesthetics and function should not outweigh each other, there are many benefits of using texture as a marketing tool. Products packaged using tactile innovation are valued by the consumer and much more likely to be repurposed as decorative items than be discarded. Arguably, using texture as a marketing tool is advantageous as it can help to prevent product obsolescence. Regardless of a product’s perceived value, designers should ensure that the materials that they select are sustainable so that when the consumer eventually does discards the item they are able to do so appropriately and responsibly. After all the use of texture as a marketing tool should not be at the expense of the environment.
The use of texture as a marketing tool is particularly useful for products which cannot be interpreted by other senses. Perfume advertisements rely on visual perception and viewer inferences to market their product. Since the perfume can only be smelled by visiting a store, is it the job of the creative director and advertiser to create a virtual sensory experience (Weir, N., 2019) for the viewer in order to encourage a purchase.
The form of perfume bottles has become progressively more innovative and there is a significant emphasis on designing bottles that are not just functional but beautifully crafted with tactile considerations (Anon., 2018). One of the most notable designs is that of Marc Jacobs Daisy. The large tactile daisies indicate the fragrance scent while and catching the viewer’s interest with the charming and youthful characteristic that the bottle evokes. The same can be said of Decadence by Marc Jacobs - an fragrance whose flamboyant bottle is ornate in design, shaped like a handbag and embellished with gold. The feel and the appearance of the bottle alone are so striking that they sell the product before the consumer has even smelled the fragrance. Marc Jacobs’ successful design background is evident in his designs as he uses a combination of sense of touch and sense of smell to tantalize the consumer into purchasing his products.
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‘Evoking a mood or a spirit is key, and I think with the women’s fragrances we have evoked different types, moods or sensibilities of a woman… It’s interesting how you can differentiate those moods through colours, forms and scents.’ - Marc Jacobs (Perfume Society, 2019) Overall the literature review has provided a clearer understanding of the power of tactile design by evaluating its use as a communicator and the advantages and disadvantages of its use on current products on the market and its effect on the consumer.
Research Methodology and Findings The idea of texture being used as a marketing tool will be examined through the following research methods: observation, interview and an online survey.
Observation Study Observation describes the act of monitoring and documenting the occurrences in a particular environment. I picked this method because it is an effective way to observe first-hand the behaviour of consumers when deciding to purchase items, focusing on consumer interaction with the perfume section. I conducted this in two different shopping malls during two recent holiday trips in Berlin and Paris. I considered conducting this in an English shopping centre but I found that observing consumers in another country with a language barrier would make me focus more on the behaviour of the consumer without being distracted by what they are saying. In Paris I began by using a small notebook and pen to document, however I opted to instead use my phone notes to document my findings as it was more inconspicuous and I did not want to risk making my results biased as people usually alter their behaviour when they are aware that they are being watched. When documenting my findings I recorded the gender and age range estimate of the subjects that I observed to provide some context. I also took photographs of my environment alone without 9
including the faces of the consumers that I observed, as I did not have their consent to be photographed.
Summary of findings Women usually spent longer observing a perfume bottle before they tested the actual fragrance, whereas most of the men were seemed more eager to pick up and test the fragrance Physical interaction with perfume bottles was more prolonged with perfumes that were either more intricate in their design or were featured with visual advertisements such as adverts on screens Most consumers spent more time looking at the appearance of the bottles rather than testing the fragrance It became obvious that some consumers time spent analysing a perfume bottle was heavily dependent on the price Although this research method was valuable as I was able to observe consumer behaviour in close proximity rather than reading about it from a secondary source, as I did not interact with the consumers that I observed, sometimes it was difficult to judge the reasoning behind their actions such as the specific reason why they were drawn to a particular perfume. At times I had to make an educated guess which may have biased my findings. To improve I could have questioned some of the consumers on their purchasing choices to gain more accurate results. However the consumers may have given biased responses when questioned as they would be aware that their actions are being evaluated. All in all, being in this environment made me more aware of the consumer environment and how we make purchasing decisions.
Interview An interview involves dialogue between at least two people, one person asks questions and the other answers. I chose this method because it is a more intimate form of collecting information as being face-to-face makes it easier to read the facial expressions of the interviewee and makes it less likely that they would fabricate their 10
answers. I conducted an interview with a family friend who works at Waitrose as they are more familiar with visual merchandising, the display of products and packaging. The transcript can be found in the appendix. For this interview I presented the interviewee with five different brands of tea and hot chocolate that cater to the consumption of hot drinks and asked a series of questions to understand how the packaging informed her purchasing decisions.
Summary of findings This research method was very beneficial as I heard how texture, among other factors influence the interviewee. I also found it useful to compare my attitude towards each of the products with the interviewees. This highlighted how although consumers largely act in similar ways in response to texture and tactility, the thought process differs profoundly from one consumer to another. After conducting the interview I considered ways of improving my approach to this research method. It may have been beneficial for the interviewee to be voluntarily blindfolded before touching each object and then asked about how the feel of the product influenced her purchasing decision. This would have placed a greater emphasis on the use of the sense of touch without being distracted by the sense of sight. Focus Group A Focus Group describes a group of people put together who participate in a discussion to provide feedback on a chosen subject. I chose this method after considering the shortcomings of my interview. I wanted to create a situation where the focus of discussion is solely on the texture of an object. Therefore I arranged for each of the four voluntary participants to be seated together but blindfolded. An object of my creation would be passed between them as they discuss what its texture communicates to them. I selected four students who knew each other previously so that conversation would flow naturally. Initially, I was going to buy to explore my local supermarket to buy a tactile product/packaging to use as the object of the discussion. However after consideration I thought it would be better to create a simple textured object to use with materials of my own. Most of the tactile packaging that I had researched were made out of physically harder materials such as glass and plastic, so I endeavoured to create a soft object. I made some felt material and sewed it into a spherical shape to give it a more defined form.
Summary of Findings After assembling my participants I handed them the felt object and made notes of their reactions and movements while they were blindfolded. As intended, the blindfold eradicated the distraction of the environment that they were in as well as the influence of their predominant sense of sight, so physical engagement increased. 11
This thoroughly helped my research project by allowing me to understand consumer intuition and their ability to interpret texture.
After considering the results of my research methods, I am considering designing intuitive packaging, an alternative marketing tool that uses only the sense of touch to communicate purpose, a sensory experience within an advertising campaign for a new product or packaging redesign of a product on the market that lacks customer engagement.
Conclusion The extensive research that I have conducted has improved my understanding of the sense of touch and how it is crucial to the design process. Exploring the effects of using texture as a marketing tool has solidified my interest in using product design to create a sensory experience. This has also brought my attention to the need for more intuitive and interactive design – used not to manipulate the user with or purely to increase sales – but to use texture to create more positive user experiences.
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Design Brief – PDP2 Statement: Design a product/service that depends on texture to create a positive user experience
Specification:
Must encourage physical interaction Must utilise the sense of touch Must be easy and intuitive to use Must have a positive influence on the user Must communicate its purpose through its form or texture (visual perception)
Could be the redesign of a current product Could include packaging design Could include a supporting advertising campaign Could be purely decorative Could use sustainable materials
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Bibliography Anon., 2018. Fragrance bottles: a decade of design innovation. Wallpaper [online]. Available at: https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/the-best-innovativefragrance-bottle-designs [Date accessed: 21 April 2019 ] Anon., 2018. How to Use the Psychology of Colors When Marketing. Dashburst [online]. Available at: https://smallbiztrends.com/2014/06/psychology-of-colors.html [Date accessed: 4 April 2019] Anon., 2019. Definition of Texture. Oxford Living Dictionaries [online]. Available at:https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/texture [Date accessed: 1 April 2019] Chadwick, P., 2016. Vince Kerrigan: How tactile packaging designs are appealing to customers. Packaging News [online]. Available at: https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/vince-kerrigan-how-tactile-packagingdesigns-are-appealing-to-customers-28-06-2016 [Date accessed: 14 April 2019] Kasser, T., 2003. The High Price of Materialism. [Google Books] 1st ed. United States of America Khurana, M., 2017. Designing for Tactile Interactions. Medium, Prototypr [online]. Available at: https://blog.prototypr.io/designing-for-tactile-interactions-and-timemanagement-9b8c27eaebee [Date accessed: 3 April 2019] Unknown, 2019. Marc Jacobs. The Perfume Society [online]. Available at: https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/marc-jacobs-2/ [Date accessed: 23 April 2019] Weir, N., 2019. Multi-sensory experiences. Team Consulting [online]. Available at: https://www.team-consulting.com/insights/multi-sensory-experiences/ [Date accessed: 18 April 2019 ] Zuo, H., Jones, M., Hope, T., and Jones, R., 2016. Sensory Perception of Material Texture in Consumer Products. The Design Journal [online], 19 (3) (June). Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14606925.2016.1149318?scroll=top&n eedAccess=true [Date accessed: 4 April 2019]
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Appendix Appendix 1 – Ethics Form
PDP2
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Appendix 2 - Interview Consent Form
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Appendix 3 - Interview Transcript Interviewer: Miss Oluwatoni Ojo Interviewee: Miss Hannah M Lee Date: Thursday 21st February 2019 Oluwatoni: Please know that agreeing to participate in this interview will give permit you to be recorded and possibly photographed. The findings will be presented in a research report. Do you consent to these terms? Hannah: Yes - Interviewer uncovers the five product packaging items Oluwatoni: Which of these products first caught your attention and why? Hannah: Um… this one (points to Galaxy hot chocolate) Oluwatoni: Okay. Are you able to explain why? Hannah: Yeah well I guess it’s because, because it’s the biggest one…and the light is reflecting off of its surface. It’s got an interesting shape too Oluwatoni: Please describe the shape of the Galaxy hot chocolate Hannah: It’s kind of curved. Like a cylinder with curved dents in it. (picks up the item) The curves are quite smooth though, that’s the plastic. Oluwatoni: Thank you. Which of the products do you think are the most and least expensive? Hannah: That one looks fancy cos of the gold (points to Whittard hot chocolate). It’s probably overpriced. I’d say the ASDA Camomile is the cheapest cos it’s own brand. The decoration is nice but its still cheap Oluwatoni: Please feel each item. Which of the items would you recommend to a friend? Hannah: (while feeling the items) Off the bat I’d recommend PG Tips because it’s a brand I know of because it’s a well-known brand. I would buy it myself. (short pause) But for someone else, I’d probably say the Whittards. The gold leaves on the packaging are really nice, the bumpy feel from them.
Oluwatoni: When you think of the word ‘luxury’, what do you think of? First in terms of material, then in terms of product design in general. Hannah: Um…velvet? Gold, rose gold, silk, expensive, stylish…..yeah. For product design I’d sayyy….bespoke design, maybe gold again, or metal in general. And minimalist design too. Expensive things are starting to look more simple
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Appendix 4 - Image of the brands of tea and hot chocolate used for interview
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Appendix 5 - Focus Group Consent Forms
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Appendix 6 - Focus Group Feedback The following questions were asked and these were the corresponding answers: Question 1: How would you describe the texture of the object? Feedback: Soft, furry, fluffy Question 2: What do you associate this material/texture with? Feedback: It’s quite comforting; napping, warmth, security, knitting Question 3: What type of product would have this texture? Feedback: a toy animal, stuffed animal, a blanket, a scarf, socks Question 4: Who do you think a product with this texture would be targeted towards? Feedback: for young children - maybe not babies because some of the fabric is coming off in my hands, any age
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