Dynamics of Industrial Revolution 4.0: Digital Technology Transformation and Cultural Evolution –
Wulandari et al (eds)
© 2021 The Author(s), ISBN 978-1-032-04451-4
Package design color preference using eye-tracking technology: Does
gender make a difference?
W. Swasty
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
E. Rahmawati
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang, Malaysia
A. Mustikawan & M.I.P. Koesoemadinata
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
ABSTRACT: Studies focusing on gender differences regarding color preferences in the application of package design seems to be scarce. This study aims to reveal the gender differences in
color package design preference and to recommend what color factor to best to apply for package
design using eye-tracking technology. A study of eye-tracking was conducted. T-test and one-way
Anova followed by the Tukey Post Hoc test were used to test if there is a difference in fixation count
based on the colors presented. The study found no difference in color preference between male and
female participants. It revealed that brown, as well as yellow, has no significant difference in color
preferences.
Keywords: Color, Eye-tracking, Gender, Packaging, Preference
1 INTRODUCTION
Most researchers in color used a questionnaire survey (both online and offline) as a method of
investigating color preference (Wei et al. 2008; Ou et al. 2012; Seher et al. 2012; Bakker et al.
2013; Westland and Shin 2015; Yu et al. 2018). However, a study by Bakker et al. (2013) argues that
it is hard to draw valid and reliable conclusions on color responses using questionnaires in color
research. An eye-tracking observation method was used to objectively identify the color preference
of study participants to investigate the feasibility of deriving color preferences by defining fixations
and relevant details (Lee et al. 2005). Other researchers in color used eye-tracking as an investigation
method on color preference (Cho &Suh 2020).
Swasty et al. (2019) used two different methods (questionnaire and eye-tracking) and suggested
that the visual data from the eye-tracking method is more accurate than data from the questionnaire
as a sense of vision is unconscious (Apsari 2012). The main purpose is to find out which areas
attract the most attention (number of fixations) and identify the color and image combination
factors on the packaging that more people preferred. The study revealed that the brown color used
in monster illustrations is the most preferable combination of color and image for the chocolateflavored banana chip package design. However, the study results obtained are still general, and did
not show any differences in color preference between male and female respondents.
Eye-tracking is a tool for analyzing the visual attention related to consumers’ emotional and
cognitive responses from the neuro-marketing perspective (dos Santos et al. 2015). Eye-tracking
technology can be an effective eye movement measurement tool for saccades (scan paths) and
fixations (pause of the eye movements). It provides objective data on the cognitive processes and
emotion as well as identifies where and how long a viewer looks in the Area of Interest (AOI).
It also indentifies the eye movement time-based sequence to describe the correlation between the
tendency of viewers to gaze at certain stimulus and their preferences (Cho &Suh 2020).
DOI 10.1201/9781003193241-29
157
Wulandari et al (eds)
© 2021 The Author(s), ISBN 978-1-032-04451-4
Package design color preference using eye-tracking technology: Does
gender make a difference?
W. Swasty
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
E. Rahmawati
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang, Malaysia
A. Mustikawan & M.I.P. Koesoemadinata
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
ABSTRACT: Studies focusing on gender differences regarding color preferences in the application of package design seems to be scarce. This study aims to reveal the gender differences in
color package design preference and to recommend what color factor to best to apply for package
design using eye-tracking technology. A study of eye-tracking was conducted. T-test and one-way
Anova followed by the Tukey Post Hoc test were used to test if there is a difference in fixation count
based on the colors presented. The study found no difference in color preference between male and
female participants. It revealed that brown, as well as yellow, has no significant difference in color
preferences.
Keywords: Color, Eye-tracking, Gender, Packaging, Preference
1 INTRODUCTION
Most researchers in color used a questionnaire survey (both online and offline) as a method of
investigating color preference (Wei et al. 2008; Ou et al. 2012; Seher et al. 2012; Bakker et al.
2013; Westland and Shin 2015; Yu et al. 2018). However, a study by Bakker et al. (2013) argues that
it is hard to draw valid and reliable conclusions on color responses using questionnaires in color
research. An eye-tracking observation method was used to objectively identify the color preference
of study participants to investigate the feasibility of deriving color preferences by defining fixations
and relevant details (Lee et al. 2005). Other researchers in color used eye-tracking as an investigation
method on color preference (Cho &Suh 2020).
Swasty et al. (2019) used two different methods (questionnaire and eye-tracking) and suggested
that the visual data from the eye-tracking method is more accurate than data from the questionnaire
as a sense of vision is unconscious (Apsari 2012). The main purpose is to find out which areas
attract the most attention (number of fixations) and identify the color and image combination
factors on the packaging that more people preferred. The study revealed that the brown color used
in monster illustrations is the most preferable combination of color and image for the chocolateflavored banana chip package design. However, the study results obtained are still general, and did
not show any differences in color preference between male and female respondents.
Eye-tracking is a tool for analyzing the visual attention related to consumers’ emotional and
cognitive responses from the neuro-marketing perspective (dos Santos et al. 2015). Eye-tracking
technology can be an effective eye movement measurement tool for saccades (scan paths) and
fixations (pause of the eye movements). It provides objective data on the cognitive processes and
emotion as well as identifies where and how long a viewer looks in the Area of Interest (AOI).
It also indentifies the eye movement time-based sequence to describe the correlation between the
tendency of viewers to gaze at certain stimulus and their preferences (Cho &Suh 2020).
DOI 10.1201/9781003193241-29
157