Effect of Packaging Design in the Purchase Decision Process : A Comparison of Generations

The tangible aspects of a determined product can be essential to communicating the positioning of the brand, since these aspects are projected as recognized elements of the product. Therefore, the aim of this research is to assess the relationship between the process of consumer purchases at the moment of acquiring personal care products and the tangible aspects of packaging according to their generational cohort. These tangible aspects of packaging are the visual aspects that a product contains, identified as graphic elements and informational elements. The study looks at consumer decision-making of participants from three generational cohorts: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. The research provides evidence about existing relationships between graphic elements and the generational cohorts, as well as statistical differences between these cohorts in terms of informational elements. The article exposes theoretical and empirical evidence, with the objective to support companies' managers to explore and combine elements to achieve and project positioning and equity at the moment of choosing or transforming their package designs according to their target market