Research has shown that the experience of fluency influences buying intentions of food products, but no study has examined how brand logos transferring a feeling of fluency might impact actual food intake. In two experiments, we assess how exposure to simple versus complex brand logos impacts food consumption. Study 1 shows that individuals consume more from a product which features a simple, flat logo compared to a product that features a complex, non-flat logo. Study 2 depicts the nature of the product as an important moderator in this effect: while for non-prestigious products simple brand logos increase consumption, the opposite occurs for prestigious food products. Overall, while the tenet of the findings is consistent with earlier work on fluency effects within the food domain, this research provides evidence that brand logo design has the potential to impact actual food intake.

Introduction

Millions of people are struggling with controlling their food consumption (Haws & Redden, 2013) and rising obesity rates suggest that the struggle is real. Indeed, since 1975 the number of overweight and obese people worldwide has nearly tripled, with globally approximately 1.9 billion overweight adults in 2016 (World Health Organization, 2017). One reason why the struggle against obesity is such a difficult one is the fact that unobtrusive factors not openly related to consumption wield an unnoticed influence on consumption patterns. Product design factors such as product size (e.g., Rolls et al., 2004; Coelho Do Vale, Pieters, & Zeelenberg, 2008), product shape (e.g., van Ooijen, Fransen, Verlegh, & Smit, 2016; Huyghe, Geuens, & Vermeir, 2017), and product labels (e.g., Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2010; Mullie, Godderis, & Clarys, 2012; Vadiveloo, Morwitz, & Chandon, 2013) have been repeatedly found to significantly alter food intake. Yet, at the same time, these “hidden” factors also present a way to regulate consumption styles. In fact, micro-changes in the consumer landscape might even present a possible route to a healthy lifestyle. The current research focuses on a prominent product design feature, namely the brand logo design, and it’s potential to influence food intake. Certainly, brand logo design may have multiple downstream effects (e.g., on brand awareness, aided recognition, and buying intention; Chevalier & Mazzalovo, 2003; Henderson & Cote, 1998; Pocheptsova, Labroo, & Dhar 2010), yet the aim of this research is to understand whether the specific design features of a brand logo can influence food intake. Notably, and partly the inspiration of this research, is the trend of brand logo simplification. Numerous major brands including Starbucks, Nesquik, Subway, and Pepsi (cf. Figure 1) have redesigned their logos opting for a more simplistic look. This simplification is a token of flat design, a trend characterized by a focus on simple and minimalistic design (Clum, 2013). This trend is in line with a growing body of scientific literature in the domain of processing fluency, which clearly shows that a fluent processing of stimuli leads to more positive evaluations (Reber, Schwarz, & Winkielman, 2004; Schwarz, 2004; Winkielman, Schwarz, Fazendeiro, & Reber, 2003; Zajonc, 1968). Logos, just like any other stimuli, can contribute to a feeling of overall processing fluency which signals the “[…] subjective experience of ease with which people process information […]” (Alter and Oppenheimer, 2009, p. 219). As such, products featuring flat design are expected to positively influence the attitudes of consumers.