Emotional Design of Packaging: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to explain the present research status and trends in the field of Emotional Design of Packaging (EDOP). A total of 129 scholarly articles were selected from high-quality journals in the Web of Science (WoS) database, and a systematic review of the EDOP field was undertaken, utilising a combination of CiteSpace and VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. The findings reveal substantial advancements over the past two decades, with prospects for continued expansion. There exists a pressing requirement for enhanced collaboration across countries, institutions, and authors within this field. The core research themes in this area are Emotional Communication of Brand Packaging, Emotional Triggers for Packaging Design, Emotional Experience and User Satisfaction, and Emotional Design and Consumer Behaviour. It is worth mentioning that these four research themes correspond to the evolutionary trend of EDOP research history, with crossovers between periods arranged in an overlapping relationship. Additionally, Sensory Characteristics of Food Packaging and Emotional Measurement of Users, Modelling the Relationship between Packaging Design, Branding and Consumer Behaviour, and the Role of Cigarette Packaging Design in Tobacco Marketing collectively form the fundamental knowledge base in this area. This study not only addresses the current research gap in this field but also provides valuable references and guidance for future researchers.