Millennial consumers exhibit different buying patterns than other age groups. Before and through the pandemic the majority of millennials have more concern for improving society than getting rich. In order to reach an individual of this demographic and mindset, the packaging should reflect values of efficiency, eco-friendliness and public safety.

Understanding consumer behavior is the main reason packaging designers should take an interest in how multisensory packaging affects consumer decisions. While every consumer makes decisions based on their own personal experiences, certain packaging themes appeal to certain market segments. Here are essential themes of multisensory packaging that designers should explore.

Consumers have a need for touch the same way retailers have a need to sell products. But it's a mistake to assume all consumers respond the same way to the same stimuli. Every individual coexists with thousands of marketing campaigns wrapped in packaging techniques trying to get their attention. Here are important points for designers to consider about multisensory perceptions among consumers when crafting a new package.

Consumers base buying decisions on what their senses, memories and emotions tell them. That's why packaging design should provide multisensory stimuli congruent with brand themes that connect with followers. Here are ways designers can apply knowledge about multisensory processes to packaging designs.

Some people call it "hardness," while others involved in packaging design use the terms "firmness and compressibility" to describe the feel when two hands squeeze a product. But distinguishing the differences between texture and hardness can be challenging due to overlapping variations. Here are points for designers to consider that take consumer perceptions of firmness and compressibility into account.

As part of the multisensory experience, the mind forms thought patterns associated with shapes, which should be of interest to packaging designers. Shapes, like colors and textures, can contribute to perceptions about objects based on personal experiences. Here's a look at how the shape of a package communicates with consumers.

Texture is a crucial factor in packaging because it needs to match consumer expectations. Delicate products need more blatantly protective packaging, which shoppers evaluate by touching the package. Each shopper has their own multisensory approach to judging retail items. Here are concepts about how the texture of packaging affects consumer perceptions.

Deep in every consumer's mind are perceptions about the world. These perceptions don't just develop randomly, as they are shaped by multisensory input. This input comes from thousands of experiences over time stored in memory and then are triggered by associations. These associations also develop over time based on experience with a product and its corresponding packaging.

Visual information is what connects the consumer with the packaging design. Once the consumer develops loyalty for a  product, at some point they will recognize its package from far away. New brands and products need an extra spark to get people's attention and develop familiarity. Here are essential points for packaging designers to remember when creating designs that must convey visual information.