Title: Package design and consumer memory

Authors: Kambiz Heidarzadeh Hanzaee, Sara Sheikhi

Addresses: Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tehran Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ashrafee-e-Esfahani Highway, Hesarak Road, Tehran 1477893855, Iran. ' Mazandaran Non-Governmental, University of Science & Technology, Khashayar Tower, Baradaradn Shaifi Road, North Gandi Street, Tehran 1969943591, Iran

Abstract: Packaging is an important determinant in purchase decisions and has a significant role in marketing. According to previous research, the position of the verbal and pictorial elements of a package affects the recall of those elements in left-to-right languages. It has been shown from psychological research on brain laterality that verbal elements are perceived from the right and pictorial elements from the left side of the package. We aim to assess whether the hypotheses are valid for right-to-left languages. This is imperative as many of the world|s countries, mainly in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, have written languages with the right-to-left structure. According to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the combined population of Islamic countries is about 1.5 billion, which is about 22% of the world|s; such a market size is worthy of substantial marketing research. This paper would be commendable for those who intend to export to these markets.

Keywords: packaging; package design; consumer memory; brain laterality; brand image; Islamic countries; purchase decisions; marketing; verbal elements; pictorial elements.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2010.030634

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2010 Vol.6 No.2, pp.165 - 183

Published online: 27 Dec 2009 *

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