Preservation, rejuvenation, or confusion? Changing package designs for heritage brands

Abstract

Updating a brand's packaging presents a challenge, especially for heritage brands. This study examines how and when continuity in visual package design influences brand heritage perceptions. A pre‐study uses focus groups to corroborate evidence for the constructs and processes involved. Three experiments show that lower continuity designs create confusion, which in turn damages a brand's heritage identity. Study 1a provides initial evidence for the process and demonstrates that effects occur regardless of prior brand usage. Study 1b replicates the mediating role of confusion with two different product categories, controlling for brand attachment. Study 1c rules out alternative mediating processes through other emotions. Employing a quasiexperimental design involving ten brands, Study 2 demonstrates that a brand's mascot can buffer against detrimental effects of low design continuity on confusion and consequent perceptions of brand heritage and purchase intention while controlling for brand familiarity and need for cognition. Together, these findings contribute to a better understanding of consumer responses to changes in package design and heritage brands.

Heritage luxury brands: insight into consumer motivations across different age groups

“…It extends the theoretical streams that deal with the purchase motives of luxury brand consumers (Bian and Forsythe, 2012;Grewal et al, 2004;Prentice and Loureiro, 2018;Schade et al, 2016;Wilcox et al, 2009). It also contributes to the literature on heritage that examined consumer behavior (Brunninge and Hartmann, 2019;Dion and Borraz, 2015;Dion and Mazzalovo, 2016;Orth et al, 2019;Pecot and De Barnier, 2018;Riley et al, 2004;Wuestefeld et al, 2012).…”

What makes a corporate heritage brand authentic for consumers? A semiotic approach

“…In a subsequent study, Pecot et al (2019) found that brand heritage enhanced brand credibility and personal nostalgia. Orth et al (2019) studied package designs for [product] heritage brands and found that lower continuity designs created confusion among customers, which in turn damaged a brand's heritage identity. Rindell (2013Rindell ( , 2017 conceptualised the time dimension in branding research from a consumer perspective as image heritage in order to understand how consumers' past perceptions of a brand would influence their present image construction processes and future expectations.…”

Consumer Preferences for Cheese with Focus on Food Safety—A Segmentation Analysis

“…The role of packaging for consumers is becoming the main tool for communication and branding [22]. Special attention should be paid to packaging elements for their impact on consumer feedback [23]. Color as a packaging element encourages consumers to appreciate the product more, especially for healthy products [24].…”

“…Color as a packaging element encourages consumers to appreciate the product more, especially for healthy products [24]. Thus, frequent changes to packaging elements can disorient the consumer, affecting the perception of brands [23].…”