The Role of Secondary Packaging on Brand Awareness: Analysis of 2 L Carbonated Soft Drinks in Reusable Shells Using Eye Tracking Technology

Even with new technologies emerging daily that reduce the barriers to identify and purchase products, the average consumer still reports having less time to devote to shopping. A study conducted at Clemson University, sponsored by a reusable packaging company, Rehrig Pacific Company, investigated if a unique shipping shell/crate design with on‐message and product branding (direct colour print onto the shell) increased brand awareness, attention and purchase intent when placed directly onto the retail shelf. Reusable packaging for 2 L bottles of carbonated soft drink packaged in proprietary reusable shells with a multicolour logo of the major US beverage company was chosen for the study. The branded proprietary reusable shell was evaluated against a standard reusable shell in the industry used by the same company. Testing was conducted using state‐of‐the‐art eye tracking hardware and CUshop™, a full immersion consumer retail experience laboratory. Data captured from 89 study participants indicated a strong preference for the new branded reusable shell. Statistical analysis demonstrated a 47% increase in eye fixations on the branded display and an increase in fixation duration, a measure of how long consumers looked at the display, of 34% ( p  < 0.05). More significantly, an increase in the visual saliency of the primary package, the 2 L bottle, was illustrated by an increase in fixation duration of 46% ( p  < 0.05) and an increase of the number of fixations of 54% ( p  < 0.01) when displayed in the branded reusable shell. Thus, results indicate that in‐store marketing incorporating a unique secondary packaging may lift brand awareness and increase purchase intent. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.