Representação de gênero no design de embalagem: expressão de neutralidade nos atributos visuais de produtos dermocosméticos nacionais.

Abstract

The study presented in this dissertation investigated the visual attributes in dermocosmetics packaging of national brands declared gender neutral or genderless. It approached the way in which gender issues relate to packaging design, considering the behavior of brands inserted in a consumer market context that goes beyond the masculinity and femininity stereotypes, and also the perception of the consumer public about gender aspects on the visual attributes of the products, focusing the analysis on attributes with gender-neutral particularities. Aiming to identify and characterize gender neutrality in packaging design, the research explored: (a) identification of design attributes in dermocosmetics packaging from gender-neutral or genderless national brands that communicates neutrality; (b) characterization of the companies' profile related to the gender-neutral proposal; (c) gathering of consumer interpretations about the visual attributes of dermocosmetic products, related to the issue of neutrality; (d) identification of which visual attributes most influence the interpretation related to gender neutrality; (e) evaluation of the gender-neutral concept associated with the product considering its interpretive potential and the effect produced on the spectator. The results indicate that the notion of neutrality in visual language is not structured in a single representative model, common to all brands, and that different strategies are adopted in the design of the packages studied. Within this, a normative expectation was identified between the understanding of gender on packaging and the respective target audience of the brands, which guides neutrality to the idea of inclusion, of greater scope and potential for plural representation, suggesting that the attributes are able to communicate a vision of gender beyond binary ideals. When related to feminine and masculine attributes, perceptions about neutrality are closer to masculine interpretations. In a macro view, observing the greater emphasis of the brands on female figures in their other communication points, the normative expectation identified leads to a demand for the incorporation of the gender neutrality discourse also in these points, reinforcing a social-political position that goes beyond the packaging aesthetics appeal.