Project – Sensory Marketing and Brand Preference for Packaged Food Products: A Study of Consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Sensory marketing has become an important area of contemporary marketing research because consumers do not make purchasing decisions based solely on rational evaluation of price, quality and functional benefits. Rather, consumer responses can be shaped by sensory experiences involving sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. Sensory marketing refers to marketing activities that engage consumers’ senses in ways that influence their perceptions, judgments and behaviours. According to Krishna (2012), sensory marketing can create subconscious triggers through which consumers develop perceptions about product quality, sophistication and other brand attributes. The relevance of sensory marketing is particularly evident in the food industry because food products are inherently sensory in nature. Consumers often form expectations about the taste, freshness, quality and desirability of a food product before consuming it, and these expectations may be influenced by sensory cues presented by the brand and its packaging. Thus, the sensory presentation of a packaged food product can become an important component of the overall consumer experience and can influence how consumers evaluate competing brands.

The importance of sensory marketing becomes even more pronounced in packaged food markets where consumers frequently encounter numerous competing products displayed together on retail shelves, supermarkets, convenience stores and other points of purchase. In such situations, visual elements such as package colour, shape, images, typography and overall design can serve as immediate signals through which consumers identify and differentiate brands. Research has demonstrated that packaging design can influence consumers’ expectations and perceptions of taste, healthiness, attractiveness and product quality. Marques da Rosa et al. (2019), for example, found that packaging colour and shape affected product preference and taste associations, showing that consumers can form sensory expectations from packaging even before tasting the food itself. Similarly, Orth and Malkewitz (2008) demonstrated that holistic package designs can influence consumers’ impressions of brand personality. These findings suggest that packaging is not merely a protective container but also a strategic communication medium through which food brands can stimulate consumers’ senses and establish distinctive brand impressions.

Among the various sensory elements used in food marketing, colour occupies a particularly important position because it is often one of the first characteristics noticed by consumers when they encounter a packaged product. Colours can communicate meanings relating to freshness, sweetness, naturalness, healthiness, quality and product category, thereby shaping consumer expectations before actual consumption. Su and Wang (2024) found that food packaging colour can influence purchase intention and that perceived fluency can mediate the relationship between packaging colour and consumer purchase behaviour. Their study further showed that the suitability of packaging colour can vary according to the type of food being presented. Beyond colour, other visual characteristics such as shape, imagery and package composition can also affect sensory expectations. Recent research by Djekic et al. (2024) found that visual density in food packaging significantly affected consumers’ expectations of taste and texture and that sensory expectations mediated the relationship between packaging appearance and purchase intention. These findings indicate that visual sensory cues can influence consumers’ judgments even before they have direct physical experience with the food product.

Sensory marketing also contributes to the development of brand experience and brand associations. A food brand does not exist only as a name or logo; it is experienced through a collection of sensory, emotional, cognitive and behavioural stimuli. Brakus, Schmitt and Zarantonello (2009) conceptualised brand experience as the sensations, feelings, cognitions and behavioural responses generated by brand-related stimuli, including brand design, identity, packaging, communications and physical environments. Their study identified sensory, affective, intellectual and behavioural dimensions of brand experience and established that brand experience can influence consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Similarly, Keller (1993) explained that strong brands are built when consumers possess favourable, strong and unique associations with the brand. In the packaged food sector, sensory cues can therefore contribute to the development of such associations by making a product visually distinctive, emotionally appealing and easier to recognise and remember. When consumers repeatedly associate particular colours, package shapes, images, textures or other sensory cues with a particular food brand, those cues may become part of the brand identity and influence future brand preference.

The relationship between sensory marketing and consumer preference is especially important because brand preference reflects a consumer’s tendency to favour one brand over competing alternatives. In a highly competitive food market, consumers may be exposed to several products with similar prices, ingredients, nutritional characteristics and functional benefits. Consequently, marketers increasingly depend on symbolic and sensory cues to differentiate their products. Krishna et al. (2014) noted that sensory experiences are closely connected with consumer judgment and decision-making because bodily and sensory experiences can influence how consumers interpret and evaluate marketing stimuli. Packaging can therefore operate as an important sensory interface between a consumer and a food brand. Visual representations of food, package shape, colours, typography and other design features can communicate expected sensory characteristics and create associations before consumption. Research on visual-gustatory correspondence has similarly shown that visual packaging design can influence expectations and actual perceptions of flavour, demonstrating that consumers may use visual information as a basis for anticipating sensory experiences.

The relevance of these issues is also evident within the Nigerian food and beverages market, where packaged food products compete for consumers’ attention in an increasingly diverse retail environment. Nigerian consumers encounter locally manufactured and imported food products across supermarkets, open markets, neighbourhood shops, shopping centres and other retail outlets. Studies conducted in Nigeria have established that packaging characteristics can influence consumer purchasing decisions. Adesanya, Adesanya and Alabi (2024), for example, reported that package design, package shape and package colour had positive effects on consumer purchase decisions for fast-moving consumer goods in Osogbo. Similarly, Ighomereho and Ayoola (2024) examined product packaging and quality in relation to FMCG purchase decisions in Lagos State and considered colour, labelling, design and sustainable packaging materials as important packaging attributes. Research focusing specifically on Port Harcourt has also reported that packaging design, colour, material and labelling can significantly influence consumer purchase decisions. These findings provide evidence that packaging-related sensory cues are relevant to Nigerian consumers, although the specific relationship between broader sensory marketing practices and brand preference for packaged food products requires further investigation.

Port Harcourt Metropolis provides an important setting for examining this relationship because it is a major urban commercial environment in Rivers State with consumers exposed to numerous packaged food brands and diverse retail outlets. Existing Nigerian studies have established relationships between packaging and consumer purchase decisions, but much of the available research has concentrated on general packaging attributes, purchase intention or purchase decision rather than examining sensory marketing as a broader construct and its relationship with brand preference. For instance, Chima (2022) examined packaging innovation and consumer patronage of food and beverage brands in Nigeria using data involving marketers and managers in Rivers State and found a significant relationship between packaging-material innovation and consumer patronage intention. However, a consumer-focused investigation of how sensory dimensions such as visual appearance, colour, packaging design, tactile characteristics and other sensory cues influence consumers’ preference for competing packaged food brands in Port Harcourt remains relevant. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the relationship between sensory marketing and brand preference for packaged food products among consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, with the aim of providing evidence that can assist food marketers in developing more effective sensory branding and packaging strategies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The packaged food market has become increasingly competitive, creating a situation in which manufacturers must find effective ways of attracting consumers and differentiating their brands from competing products. Although product quality, price, availability and nutritional value remain important considerations, consumers frequently encounter several brands with comparable functional characteristics. Consequently, sensory elements such as packaging colour, design, shape, imagery, texture and other visual or physical cues may become important sources of differentiation. The problem, however, is that many food marketers may treat packaging primarily as a protective or informational device rather than as a strategic sensory marketing instrument. Research has shown that packaging colour, shape and design can influence consumer expectations and purchase decisions, yet the extent to which these sensory cues translate into sustained preference for particular packaged food brands is not sufficiently established within the Port Harcourt consumer environment.

A further problem concerns the difficulty consumers may experience when making quick purchasing decisions among competing packaged food products. At the point of purchase, consumers may have limited time to compare ingredients, nutritional information, price and other product attributes. They may consequently rely on easily processed external cues such as colour, package attractiveness, product images, shape and brand presentation. Studies have shown that visual packaging characteristics can influence taste expectations, product evaluations and purchase intention. Djekic et al. (2024), for example, found that visual density affected sensory expectations and purchase intention, while Su and Wang (2024) demonstrated that packaging colour could influence purchase intention through perceived fluency. Despite these findings, there is insufficient empirical evidence on whether these sensory influences lead consumers in Port Harcourt to develop a consistent preference for particular packaged food brands. The absence of such evidence creates uncertainty for marketers attempting to determine which sensory elements are most influential in shaping consumer brand preference.

The Nigerian context presents another important problem. Existing studies have established that packaging can affect consumer purchase decisions in different parts of Nigeria, but the findings cannot automatically be generalised to Port Harcourt because consumer responses may differ according to location, culture, purchasing environment, product category and exposure to competing brands. For example, Adesanya et al. (2024) found significant effects of package design, shape and colour on consumer purchase decisions among FMCG consumers in Osogbo, while Ighomereho and Ayoola (2024) investigated packaging attributes and purchase decisions among FMCG consumers in Lagos State. A Port Harcourt-specific study is therefore necessary because consumers in the metropolis operate within a distinct commercial and socio-cultural environment. Although research has been conducted in Rivers State on packaging innovation and consumer patronage, there remains a need to examine sensory marketing from the perspective of consumers themselves and to determine whether sensory cues influence their preference for packaged food brands.

The major research problem, therefore, is the limited empirical understanding of how sensory marketing influences brand preference for packaged food products among consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Existing literature provides strong evidence that sensory cues can influence consumer perceptions, expectations and purchasing behaviour, but much of the established literature is international or focuses on general packaging and purchase decisions rather than brand preference within the Port Harcourt context. Krishna (2012) emphasised the need for continued research into sensory marketing, while recent food-packaging studies have continued to demonstrate that sensory cues affect product expectations and consumer choice. At the Nigerian level, studies have largely examined packaging and purchase decisions, patronage or consumer perception. Consequently, a research gap exists concerning the combined influence of sensory marketing on the preference consumers show for packaged food brands in Port Harcourt Metropolis. This study is therefore designed to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between sensory marketing and brand preference and to determine whether sensory marketing can significantly explain consumers’ preference for particular packaged food products in the study area.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between sensory marketing and brand preference for packaged food products among consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the influence of visual sensory cues on consumers’ preference for packaged food brands in Port Harcourt Metropolis;
2. determine the influence of packaging colour on consumers’ preference for packaged food products;
3. assess the influence of packaging design and shape on consumers’ brand preference;
4. examine the influence of tactile and other sensory characteristics of packaged food products on brand preference; and

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. To what extent do visual sensory cues influence consumers’ preference for packaged food brands in Port Harcourt Metropolis?
2. To what extent does packaging colour influence consumers’ preference for packaged food products?
3. To what extent do packaging design and shape influence consumers’ brand preference?
4. To what extent do tactile and other sensory characteristics influence consumers’ preference for packaged food products?

1.5 Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at a 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: Sensory marketing has no significant relationship with brand preference for packaged food products among consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to food and beverage manufacturers because it will provide empirical information on the sensory factors that consumers consider when selecting packaged food products. The findings may help manufacturers understand the importance of packaging colour, visual appearance, design, shape and other sensory cues in developing products that attract consumers and establish distinctive brand identities.

The study will also be useful to marketing managers and brand managers. Understanding the relationship between sensory marketing and brand preference may enable marketing professionals to design more effective packaging and promotional strategies. Rather than relying exclusively on conventional advertising messages, marketers may be able to incorporate sensory elements that create stronger consumer associations with their brands.

The study will be beneficial to retailers and distributors of packaged food products. Since many consumer decisions occur at the point of purchase, knowledge of the sensory characteristics that attract consumers may assist retailers in organising product displays and shelf arrangements in ways that improve product visibility and facilitate consumer choice.

The study will also contribute to consumer behaviour research by extending existing knowledge on how sensory stimuli affect consumers’ perceptions and preferences. It will provide evidence from Port Harcourt Metropolis and may therefore contribute to the understanding of sensory marketing within an urban Nigerian consumer environment.

Furthermore, the study will be useful to students and researchers in marketing, business administration, consumer behaviour and related disciplines. The findings and references may provide a basis for future studies examining sensory marketing, packaging, brand preference, consumer perception, brand experience and food-product marketing in Nigeria.

Finally, the study may be relevant to policy makers and consumer-related organisations because understanding the factors that influence consumers’ responses to packaged food products can contribute to broader discussions concerning truthful product presentation, consumer information and responsible marketing practices.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on Sensory Marketing and Brand Preference for Packaged Food Products: A Study of Consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State.

The study will be geographically limited to consumers within Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. The population of interest will comprise consumers who purchase or consume packaged food products within the study area.

Conceptually, the study will focus on sensory marketing as the independent variable and brand preference as the dependent variable. Sensory marketing will be examined through relevant sensory dimensions such as visual appeal, packaging colour, packaging design and shape, tactile characteristics and related sensory cues associated with packaged food products. Brand preference will be examined in terms of consumers’ tendency to favour, select, recommend or continue purchasing particular packaged food brands over competing alternatives.

The study will concentrate on packaged food products rather than unpackaged food, restaurants, pharmaceutical products, household products or other consumer goods.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Brand Preference: The tendency of a consumer to favour and select one packaged food brand over competing brands based on perceived benefits, experiences, associations and other evaluative factors.

Brand Experience: The sensations, feelings, cognitions and behavioural responses generated by a consumer’s interaction with brand-related stimuli, including packaging, design and other brand elements.

Consumer: An individual who purchases, uses or consumes packaged food products for personal or household consumption.

Packaged Food Products: Food products that are enclosed, wrapped, bottled, canned, boxed or otherwise contained in packaging before being offered to consumers for purchase.

Packaging Design: The arrangement and combination of visual and physical elements of a package, including shape, graphics, typography, imagery and overall appearance.

Packaging Colour: The colour characteristics used on the exterior presentation of a packaged food product to attract attention, communicate product characteristics and create brand associations.

Sensory Marketing: The use of marketing stimuli that engage one or more of the human senses—sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing—to influence consumer perception, judgment, emotion and behaviour.

Sensory Cue: A feature of a product, package or marketing environment that stimulates one or more human senses and provides information or creates expectations about the product or brand.

Visual Appeal: The degree to which the appearance of a packaged food product attracts consumers’ attention and creates favourable impressions through elements such as colour, images, typography, shape and overall design.

1.9 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, including the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, hypothesis, significance, scope and operational definitions of terms. Chapter Two will review relevant literature under the conceptual, theoretical and empirical review sections and present the conceptual framework of the study. Chapter Three will discuss the research methodology, including research design, population, sample size, sampling technique, instrument for data collection, validity, reliability, data collection procedures and method of data analysis. Chapter Four will present and analyse the data collected from respondents and discuss the findings. Chapter Five will provide the summary, conclusion and recommendations based on the findings of the study.

Project – Sensory Marketing and Brand Preference for Packaged Food Products: A Study of Consumers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State