What makes for great packaging? What elements draw drinkers’ eyes to certain cans or bottles amidst a wall of unbridled visual stimulation? And which elements, once they have that attention, are more likely to lead to a sale?
A recent study from Quad Accelerated Marketing Insights, using glasses that track buyers’ eye movements, offers some takeaways on takeaway beer.
Methodology
The study took place at Ray’s Wine & Spirits in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where participants answered demographic questions, then shopped for craft beer. Tested in this real-world setting were 474 different products from 124 craft-beer brands. Participants wore eye-tracking tech to measure which designs grabbed attention—and which didn’t. After shopping, participants answered survey questions about their purchases. Participants were: age 21+, regular beer buyers (a few times/month), fans of craft brands, not loyal to just one brand or style, and open to trying new brands and styles.
Metrics
Total fixation duration: The longer something holds a shopper’s attention, the more likely they are to buy it.
Time to first fixation: The smaller this metric, the more eye-catching the design.
Fixation count: How efficiently did consumers absorb packaging information?
Purchase decision: What did each shopper purchase?
Post-shopping survey: Participants explained their purchase decisions, shopping history, and gave feedback on the test product.
Eye-Movement Heat Map
Using the eye-tracking glasses pictured below, researchers were able to track which beer packaging on the retail shelf got noticed quickly, held attention the longest, and more.
Top Trends
Heavily Illustrated Designs (and Faces)
“A consistent trend observed since 2020 in Accelerated Marketing Insight’s craft-beer design testing is that heavily illustrated designs effectively capture consumer attention, leading to longer time spent focusing on the can (higher total fixation duration). Additionally, the human-face graphic was also the element that attracted attention the fastest (lowest time to first fixation).”
Descriptive & Thematic Names
“A key trend observed in craft-beer naming is the use of descriptive, thematic names that highlight unique ingredients or evoke strong sensory associations. This strategy appears to resonate well with consumers, as seen in top-performing products. The success of these beers suggests that names emphasizing flavors, ingredients, or thematic concepts help attract attention and influence purchasing decisions.”
Pressure-Sensitive (PS) Labels
“These labels are prominently featured in this study. Notably, PS labels offer lower investment costs and maximum flexibility, which aligns well with the packaging needs of craft beer. This may explain their widespread use. Additionally, there is no significant indication that PS labels create a less premium perception or negatively impact consumer appeal compared to traditional can printing.”
Most Purchased
Showing the power of flavor in purchasing decisions, Lion’s Tail Maple Coffee Porter was the most-purchased beer over the course of the (admittedly) short study.
Source: Quad Accelerated Marketing Insights.
Disclosure: This magazine is printed by Quad but has no relationship with the Accelerated Marketing Insights division.