New Research: Customers Find Marketing on Product Packaging More Credible Than Advertising

New research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology’s July 2016 issue has found customers believe marketing is more credible on product packaging than standard advertising. The research was conducted by the University of Miami School of Business Administration and it’s the first of its kind to prove shoppers don’t share the same response to these two different forms of marketing. Consumers reported they perceive the marketing they see on a physical package as more trustworthy than reading it in an ad because of their proximity to the product. Therefore, with feelings of marketing manipulation out the window, consumers feel more comfortable with purchasing the product.

One of the researchers on this study, Claudia Townsend, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Miami School of Business Administration, says this research can help marketers to determine which medium to choose when promoting products.

“Knowing how believable product information is in various mediums can help marketers to decide where to allocate their resources when promoting a product,” she explained. “We believe our findings are relevant to an array of marketing media beyond packages and ads. For instance, a claim in a pop-up ad or web banner may also be more believable if there is something like easy click-through to the company’s website emphasizing its proximity to the product.”

In all, consumers’ close proximity to products, whether online or in-store, is key. This research demonstrates that brands need to gain the consumer’s trust and providing reliable marketing is the way to achieve it.