Nonprototypical packaging and strategic implications: When structural design disrupts or delivers
Abstract
In a saturated consumer packaged goods market, nonprototypical (NP) or ‘chaos’ packaging has become a way for challenger brands to attract attention and differentiate. Yet little is known about how structural atypicality interacts with category norms and consumer expectations to shape perceptions of safety, quality, trust and brand fit. Drawing on cue utilisation theory, typicality research and sensation transference, this study examines the double‑edged nature of packaging disruption. A split‑cell survey in Argentina, the UK and the USA (n = 600) compared reactions to typical versus NP formats across four product categories. Findings show that while atypical packaging boosts visual salience, it often lowers trust and product perceptions, except in categories with long‑standing, stagnant norms. The paper offers theoretical and managerial guidance on when packaging disruption is likely to support—or undermine—consumer inference and purchase interest. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Fernando Arendar is a branding and packaging specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the consumer packaged goods sector. Founder and Principal of Nitid Studio, he introduced the term ‘neuropackaging’ to describe applying consumer psychology and scientific evidence to package design. His work draws on neuroscience, cognitive psychology and behavioural science to understand how consumers perceive products and make choices. He has led projects for companies including Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo, AB InBev, Kimberly-Clark, Clorox, Diageo and Danone, and developed more than 600 private.label products for major retailers. As a consultant, he helps teams translate empirical findings into design decisions that affect perceived taste, quality, value and overall performance. He frequently teaches and speaks on packaging and consumer behaviour across Latin America and beyond.
Kevin Waters is an Insights and Brand Executive with over 35 years of leadership in insights, innovation and brand strategy. He founded, scaled and led agencies across public, private and private.equity settings, serving clients in multiple industries. He has authored more than a dozen publications on packaging, branding and research methods, and previously taught university courses in positioning and brand management. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he occasionally lends his expertise to fractional roles and select consulting projects.
Shelby Howard is a market research and strategy consultant and Senior Associate at STRAT7 Incite. With over a decade of experience, she specialises in qualitative methods — including in‑depth interviews, mobile ethnographies and shop‑alongs — turning insights into actionable strategies. She works with clients in FinTech, technology and consumer packaged goods, supporting brand and product positioning, competitive analysis, journey mapping and innovation strategy. Rooted in curiosity and empathy, her approach prioritises questioning assumptions and listening deeply to uncover unexpected insights. She believes brands succeed when they move beyond data to truly hear human voices.
Jon Watts is a Senior Director at STRAT7 Incite and an experienced market research and strategy consultant. Over more than 20 years, he has shaped the direction of global brands across a wide range of consumer goods categories, specialising in driving growth in highly competitive markets. His work spans brand planning, portfolio management, innovation and growth strategy. He is passionate about uncovering the motivations behind human behaviour, particularly the interplay between system 1 and system 2 thinking and the cultural contexts that shape consumer decisions. He is especially interested in identifying category ‘ rules’ — understanding which conventions build trust and which can be challenged to create differentiation.
