Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the shelf … The number may seem far greater when consumers go to the store to select a craft beer. The product label, however, can attract consumer attention and drive purchase intent, according to a new study conducted by Package InSight at Clemson University and sponsored by Avery Dennison.
The study examined the shelf impact of craft beer labels when products were positioned in a simulated retail store environment. The study’s results are important to helping craft brewers understand consumer preference. Insight provided could help savvy brewers compete in this flourishing category comprised of 3,418 breweries with volume growth of 18.6 percent and 22 percent retail growth between 2013 and 2014 (Brewers Association). In fact, 615 new breweries opened in 2014, representing a 19 percent increase.
Participants “shop” in realistic setting
The craft beer study was conducted in the CUshop Consumer Experience Laboratory at Clemson University. The facility provides a representative shopping environment with 12-foot shopping aisles and frozen food, produce and refrigerated areas. Package Insights collaborated with Avery Dennison to present a typical planogram from a local beer distributor. During the two-day study, 193 “shoppers” (109 female, 84 male) wore calibrated, eye tracking glasses while selecting products from a list. Participant eye movements were recorded to provide insight as to why individuals selected certain products.
More than 180 of the participants were craft beer buyers who had purchased craft beer in a store sometime during the past three months. Approximately 40 percent purchased craft beer at least weekly or every two weeks. Study participants ranged in age from under 21 to over 65, with 55 percent of respondents between 21 and 39.
During the quantitative study, participants viewed six Avery Dennison pressure sensitive labels — paper, matte film, white gloss film, metallic, wood veneer and clear printed. Each participant viewed one of the six Avery Dennison labels on the shelf with nine other bombers — 22-ounce bottles. The six Avery Dennison labels rotated so that 30 participants viewed the shelf set with the paper label, another 30 viewed the shelf set with the matte film label, 30 with the metallic label, etc. All packages were assigned numbers and participants recorded the number that correlated with the beer they selected.
Quantitative data reveal participant eye movements, choices
Eye movement metrics helped shed light on why shoppers chose specific craft beer products. A heat map (to the right) drawn from the entire participant pool confirmed study participants’ aggregate total fixation duration (TFD). The green in the map indicates participants observed the area. Yellow indicates participants viewed certain product areas longer, with red areas viewed the longest.
The scan path (to the right) illustrates a single participant’s eye movement when navigating the planogram. The path is combined with the TFD measurement (indicated by larger circles) to create a visual representation of where a participant looked and how long the person spent viewing certain areas.
Time to first fixation
The graph shows the time, in seconds, from when the craft beer product first entered a participant’s field of vision until the person fixated on it. The lower the number, the better the package performed. White gloss film and wood veneer performed the best followed closely by metalized film.
Click “Next” to continue reading, or you’ll never learn about total fixation duration (and that’s really the key to most things).
Total fixation duration
Fixation duration is one of the most important metrics for a consumer study and involves the time, in seconds, the participant fixates on a specific item. The higher the number, the better the package performed.
Study participants viewed the clear-on-clear label over 20 percent longer than the other labels. The study found a strong correlation between fixation duration and product selection. As the participant’s fixation duration increased, so did the person’s chance of purchasing the product fixated.
Fixation count
This graph illustrates the number of times a participant scanned a specific product. The higher the number, the better the package performed.
The study indicated the number of times a product was viewed positively correlated with purchase intent. Sixty-two percent of study participants said the Avery Dennison metalized film label caught their attention compared to labels made with paper, matte film, white gloss film, wood veneer and clear film. Forty-six percent of shoppers perceived the metalized film labeled product as most expensive, followed by wood veneer and clear film. Forty percent felt the paper label appeared the least expensive.
Qualitative data confirm labels impact purchase decisions
After selecting a product for each item on the shopping list, participants entered a debriefing area where they answered a post-experiment questionnaire that gathered qualitative data regarding the packages they viewed.
During the study’s qualitative evaluation, participants indicated they preferred the wood label even though their eyes (during the quantitative evaluation) indicated they gravitated toward the metalized and clear labels. The over 30-year-old age group fixated nearly twice as often on the wood label than the younger group.
Participants were asked the following question: How important is the label during your purchasing decision and why? Some of the responses follow.
- “Label can be the aesthetic quality that engages you to pick up or interact with a product – definitely important.”
- “It’s very important to me — unless it’s a brand that I’ve had before and I know what I’m getting. I won’t purchase another brand unless the packaging attracts me.”
- “The label catches my eye when I’m in the store so I’m more inclined to buy it.”
- “Very. There are so many options that I tend to stick with my favorite type of beer and labels that catch my eye or else I’m stuck looking there forever.”
- “Very important because I know I’m guilty of ‘judging a book by its cover.’ I either buy beer that I’ve had and know is good or I try something because it intrigues me.”
- “Presentation is always important when trying new things…”
Summary
Shelf impact is a major concern for all brand owners — especially within a growing and crowded industry like craft beer. This shelf impact study showcased the head-turning impact of pressure-sensitive labels in helping craft beer brands stand out. Labels do matter.
Craft brewers have unique, compelling narratives of how their breweries, recipes and processes bring the best product to thirsty consumers. By using eye-catching labels, branding and graphics, brewers can tell the story — their story — and connect with consumers and influence purchase decisions.
Laura Clark is the global marketing director for Beverage at Avery Dennison Label & Packaging Materials. Clark works with clients to help drive growth, maximize profitability and reduce costs through brand positioning, global marketing, price and cost analysis, market segmentation and new product launches. A packaging engineer by training, Clark has 20 years in the industry. As you can see, she’s also an awesome writer.
