Color in Package Design: A Case Study of User Response to Skincare Packaging Color

Abstract

Background We explore the potential for mismatch between semantic intentions and user responses to color in skincare package design, as well as implications for color selection in packaging design. Methods A semantic differential experiment, a card-sorting workshop, and a post-workshop interview were conducted to collect data on participants’ responses to packaging design stimuli. Color in packaging design was manipulated, with other elements controlled. Results Mismatches between designers’ semantic intents and users’ responses to color in skincare package design were indicated by some results. New colors are further suggested as potential options for triggering the desired responses. Moreover, the results indicate that some colors are more universally accepted as representative of certain product characteristics due to their metaphoric associations. In contrast, others were found to be more susceptible to interpretation, possibly related to past experiences and/or cultural factors. Conclusions The results provide insights towards the nature of mismatches between designers’ semantic intents and users’ responses to color in skincare package design. For colors with strong associations to shared metaphoric interpretations, minor mismatches between designer intent and user response may result. In contrast, colors without shared associations are increasingly likely to mismatch based upon more idiosyncratic interpretations. © 2021. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted educational and non-commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.