A percepção visual de consumidores sobre os signos cor e forma aplicados em frascos de perfumes sem gênero de marcas brasileiras.

Abstract

The packaging sector plays a significant role in the Brazilian economy, with projections for continued annual growth. Another prominent segment is the cosmetics industry, in which Brazil ranks as one of the world’s largest markets. Within this context, the fragrance industry is also economically significant: the country represents the second-largest global market in the sector. It is also worth noting that the fragrance market has traditionally been divided by gender (female and male), although a classification known as “gender-neutral” has also been gaining ground. In this regard, it is evident that the issue of gender as it relates to products encompasses cultural, social, and even pedagogical dimensions. Therefore, this study focused on gender-neutral perfumes, with the aim of identifying the meanings generated by the signs of color and shape in the design of their bottles, based on the visual perception of Brazilian consumers. In order to achieve the study’s objectives, the methodology consisted of exploratory and descriptive phases, as well as a survey of perfume consumers aged 18 or older with purchasing power. Based on the semiotic analysis, conducted to describe the signs of color and shape applied to the bottles identified in the online survey, and on the analysis of responses obtained through an online questionnaire and focus group discussions, it was found that these signs still influence consumer perception. It was noted that packaging with colors culturally associated with the masculine or feminine spheres tends to evoke these respective genders, even for products in the gender-neutral category. On the other hand, when a bottle features neutral colors, there is a stronger association with the gender-neutral category or with the male gender. It was also found that bottles featuring combinations of colors and asymmetrical shapes were most closely associated with gender diversity. These findings contribute to the development of packaging design for this product category in Brazil.