Simple = Authentic: The effect of visually simple package design on perceived brand authenticity and brand choice

Organizations devote considerable resources to create authentic brand images in response to declining consumer trust. However, empirical research on the effect of package design elements on brand authenticity perception is scant. We fill this gap by focusing on package design simplicity, a prominent trend in package aesthetics, and examining its impact on consumers' perceived brand authenticity and the downstream consequence of that impact. Across eight studies (N = 1941), we demonstrate a linear relationship whereby visually simple package designs lead to higher perceptions of brand authenticity compared to complex designs (Studies 1A, 1B, 1C), a relationship driven by the "simple = authentic" lay theory (Pilot, Study 2). We further test the moderation effects of brand familiarity and the identity signaling of package design. We find that the effect of package design simplicity is mitigated for consumers familiar with the target brand (Study 3), or when complex designs signal the brand's identity (Study 4). As package design simplicity affects perceived brand authenticity, we further identify brand choice as the downstream consequence of brand authenticity (Study 5). Our findings contribute to the literature on lay theories, visual cognition, brand inference-making, and brand authenticity.