Embodied Product Perception: Effects of Verticality Cues in
Advertising and
Packaging Design on Consumer Impressions and Price
Expectations
Abstract
In recent years, an increasing number of brands pursue a “prestigious” positioning strategy, reflecting
consumers’ increased spending on luxury products providing hedonic benefits and addressing aesthetic
needs (i.e., “aesthetisation of the world”).
Relying on complex imagery, figures of speech, or metaphors that require cognitive effort, and that are
usually open to multiple interpretations, basic visual (advertising) elements are also known to carry
intrinsic symbolic meanings.
Coherence among visual elements in ads or product packaging may likewise increase perceived brand
value and related measures such as price expectations.
Image Schemas in Design
People understand and reason about abstract concepts in terms of concrete bodily interactions.
Abstract qualities or meanings (e.g., intimacy, mental health, and innovativeness) are reasoned about in
terms of visualspatial structures (e.g., “distance,” “balance”, and “horizontal orientation”) that are
prominent in people’s interactions with the environment. Such visual-spatial structures are referred to as
image schemas.
Visual-spatial structure labeled the verticality schema
Abstract qualities related to power
Different types of “power” are reasoned about in terms of verticality (e.g dominant person is looking
down, respect to somebody – someone is looking up to another person).
Short conclusions:
Power-related concepts (i.e., dominance, success, respect, luxury) are conveyed in terms of
verticality or relative height;
Having (societal, physical, or economic) power is associated with a position up high or a
movement upwards (e.g., “Her star is rapidly rising”)
A lack of power is likened to being in a low position (“He can’t get it off the ground”). Such
associations are embodied in so far they are grounded in everyday experiences.
The image schematic structuring of abstract concepts, rather than being a mere linguistic phenomenon,
also guides meaning attribution to visual scenes or stimuli.
The systematic couplings between image schemas (e.g., verticality) and abstract meanings (e.g., luxury)
are not only at the basis of language understanding but also of consumers’ perceptions of visual displays.
First study:
H1: An upward, as opposed to downward, camera angle triggers perceptions of a product as more
powerful and luxurious.
Advertising and
Packaging Design on Consumer Impressions and Price
Expectations
Abstract
In recent years, an increasing number of brands pursue a “prestigious” positioning strategy, reflecting
consumers’ increased spending on luxury products providing hedonic benefits and addressing aesthetic
needs (i.e., “aesthetisation of the world”).
Relying on complex imagery, figures of speech, or metaphors that require cognitive effort, and that are
usually open to multiple interpretations, basic visual (advertising) elements are also known to carry
intrinsic symbolic meanings.
Coherence among visual elements in ads or product packaging may likewise increase perceived brand
value and related measures such as price expectations.
Image Schemas in Design
People understand and reason about abstract concepts in terms of concrete bodily interactions.
Abstract qualities or meanings (e.g., intimacy, mental health, and innovativeness) are reasoned about in
terms of visualspatial structures (e.g., “distance,” “balance”, and “horizontal orientation”) that are
prominent in people’s interactions with the environment. Such visual-spatial structures are referred to as
image schemas.
Visual-spatial structure labeled the verticality schema
Abstract qualities related to power
Different types of “power” are reasoned about in terms of verticality (e.g dominant person is looking
down, respect to somebody – someone is looking up to another person).
Short conclusions:
Power-related concepts (i.e., dominance, success, respect, luxury) are conveyed in terms of
verticality or relative height;
Having (societal, physical, or economic) power is associated with a position up high or a
movement upwards (e.g., “Her star is rapidly rising”)
A lack of power is likened to being in a low position (“He can’t get it off the ground”). Such
associations are embodied in so far they are grounded in everyday experiences.
The image schematic structuring of abstract concepts, rather than being a mere linguistic phenomenon,
also guides meaning attribution to visual scenes or stimuli.
The systematic couplings between image schemas (e.g., verticality) and abstract meanings (e.g., luxury)
are not only at the basis of language understanding but also of consumers’ perceptions of visual displays.
First study:
H1: An upward, as opposed to downward, camera angle triggers perceptions of a product as more
powerful and luxurious.
