Torres Prieto, Mariana (2026) The effects of color and imagery cues on consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions toward healthy soda products. Masters thesis, Concordia University.
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Abstract
The effects of color and imagery cues on consumer perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions toward healthy soda products.
Mariana Torres Prieto.
To address the growing awareness of a cleaner and healthier diet based on products that nourish and provide benefits, the emergence of substitute brands for indulgent products has been on the rise. Healthy sodas are a clear example of this. This market has grown in response to consumers seeking products that support health goals without sacrificing good taste. However, these brands face a problem: they must communicate health credibility while avoiding the common inference that “healthy doesn't taste good.” In this context, marketing experts have begun to use packaging design as a key element in shaping expectations before consumers try the product. Through two experimental studies, this research examines: (1) how the color temperature of packaging (warm, cool, and neutral in Study 1) influences attitudes and purchase intention toward a healthy soda and whether perceptions of tastiness and aesthetics explain these effects; and (2) in another study, how color and product imagery (digital illustrations and real photos) and their combination can influence these perceptions and consumer outcomes.
In Study 1, no significant evidence was found that color alone modified attitudes, perceptions or purchase intention. In Study 2, no significant effects of color or product imagery on attitudes or purchase intention were observed either. However, the results at the perception level showed much clearer evidence that the combination of visual cues can be important and relevant. Specifically, in terms of the perception of aesthetics and femininity. This thesis contributes to the literature on consumer behavior in the food industry, specifically in healthy products, by studying how indulgent visual cues used in packaging can influence consumers' perceptions. The findings hold managerial implications for packaging and communication strategies in the same category and in general for healthy products that, as a brand, want to present themselves as also having good flavor.
| Divisions: | Concordia University > John Molson School of Business > Marketing |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
| Authors: | Torres Prieto, Mariana |
| Institution: | Concordia University |
| Degree Name: | M. Sc. |
| Program: | Marketing |
| Date: | 2 March 2026 |
| Thesis Supervisor(s): | Sobol, Kamila |
| Keywords: | Packaging Cues, Consumer Behaviour |
| ID Code: | 996906 |
| Deposited By: | Mariana Torres Prieto |
| Deposited On: | 29 Jun 2026 15:15 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jun 2026 15:15 |
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