Leader of the Pack

Marketers often face a dilemma when it comes to testing new package design alternatives. Focus groups can yield valuable information on the "fit" of the new package design with the brand image, but suffer from the usual pitfalls of qualitative research. Eye tracking can tell which aspects of the package attract and hold attention on the shelf, but just because the eye saw it doesn't mean that the brain registered it. Central location mock shelf tests can better replicate the consumer shopping experience, but, of course, are cumbersome and costly. Manufacturers are increasingly looking for speedy and cost-effective methods of testing packaging solutions throughout their product's life cycle.

The solution is a new high-tech online package-testing tool that provides insight into on-shelf visibility, brand recognition and persuasion, along with powerful diagnostics.

The Evolution of Pack Evolution(TM)

A leading package goods manufacturer exploring several new package designs for one of their key brands asked Ipsos-Insight to recommend a study design that could better guide decision-making. The action standards focused on identifying which package design would best:

• impact on-the-shelf visibility and brand recognition
• enhance brand equity and reinforce brand values
• heighten purchase persuasion within the competitive retail environment

Ipsos-Insight recommended the Pack Evolution package-testing tool to address the above issues and conducted a multi-cell, multi-country study. Developed in 2000, Pack Evolution has traditionally been conducted in central locations using an electronic kiosk to measure shelf impact and persuasion and to obtain diagnostics for guiding package improvements. However, just as most concept testing has now moved online, Ipsos-Insight envisioned moving Pack Evolution online as well. In 2003, we approached our forward-thinking client with this idea, and they agreed to partner with Ipsos to conduct a parallel test to evaluate the impact of moving Pack Evolution to an online environment using the same package designs originally tested offline.

Designing the Online Study

The recommended study design included three monadic cells, each with N=200+, testing the current package design and two of the new package designs. Fieldwork spanned a one-week period using the Ipsos Online Panelists and using the same survey questions as the offline test. As part of the study design, respondents were exposed to a digital "true to life" shelf set depicting the test product (either the current package or one or the new packages, depending on cell) within a competitive context. Next, the respondent saw de-branded versions of each of the packages included in the shelf set (client's brand as well as competitors). They were asked (1) if they saw the pack on the shelf, and (2) to identify the brand. The survey concluded with measures of purchase intent, pack likeability and diagnostics.

Pack Evolution Study Results

Comparison of the offline versus online results yielded gratifyingly high levels of congruity across the two methodologies both in terms of actual responses and in terms of decision-making. Regression analysis comparing the offline and online tests showed high correlations for each of the three package alternatives, with R2 ranging from .81 to .88. However, purchase intent scores did tend to be higher offline versus online, consistent with an interviewer-assisted interview versus self-administered.

Regarding a Go/No-Go decision between the two new packages versus the current, results were highly consistent between the offline and online results: the same new package design that met the action standards offline also met the action standards online. Furthermore, the online evaluation of the new packages in terms of reinforcing key brand equities paralleled offline results.

So, bottom line? Pack Evolution online provides equally valid decision-making insight as offline central location package testing.