Shopper marketing: selling from the shelf

When shopping, why do we reach for one package instead of another? The answer, say the experts at UK design consultancy Elmwood, is the influence of biomotive triggers. 

Shoppers may pause for only a few seconds before moving on to the next item in a store--so packaging must work its magic quickly, attracting our attention, identifying the brand and a key benefit and then encouraging us to pick that product.

Clearly, in-store elements of shopper marketing can make all the difference in a product's sales. In particular, cusps and curves are two biomotive triggers that can affect consumer behaviour.

Elmwood's Simon Preece explains the influence of cusp and curve in a recent Packaging News interview:

• Cusps are sharp pointy shapes and they get our attention, signaling fear danger and caution. 
• Curves suggest safety, softness and comfort; they make us feel secure and encourage interaction.

As Preece notes, Walt Disney's marketing for the recent movie Maleficent used cusps to convey the sense of danger and foreboding viewers would experience. Of course, being a Disney movie, the danger was resolved by the end. But this subtle use of cusps intrigued viewers and attracted attention in a cluttered environment. Curves are the main focus of Coca-Cola's packaging, Preece says, suggesting comfort--yet the logo has some cusps to capture attention and contrast with the curves.

Elmwood is responsible for the redesigned Andrex packaging shown at top (read its commentary on the packaging here). Toilet tissue should be soft, and the curves convey that important benefit. The puppy's eyes are looking right at the shopper, asking to be taken home--biomotive triggers that sell from the shelf.