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A recent study has revealed that women are more inclined to choose wines with labels featuring ‘feminine’ design elements, according to researchers from Washington State University (WSU).
The study, published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, found that participants showed a stronger intention to purchase wines with labels that included images like cute animals, female portraits, or flowers, design elements identified as ‘feminine’ cues.
This effect was even more pronounced among participants who strongly identified with other women, a phenomenon researchers referred to as ‘in-group identification.’
Purchasing Behaviour
The study was conducted in response to calls for more research on women’s purchasing behaviour in an industry where most winemakers are men.
In the initial phase of the study, 90 women were asked to classify wine labels as either masculine or feminine. Feminine labels included those with images of cute animals, flowers, and women’s portraits, while masculine labels featured wolves and stags. Neutral labels displayed castles or bunches of grapes.
Feminine Designs
The next phase of the research involved showing 324 women fictitious wine labels, with participants indicating a higher likelihood of purchasing wines with feminine designs. Notably, a participant’s level of wine expertise didn’t influence their purchasing intent, though it did affect their taste expectations.
Study coauthor and WSU professor Christina Chi emphasised the importance of involving more women in label design for winemakers.
Masculine Labels
Interestingly, a follow-up taste test involving 138 participants revealed a preference for wines with masculine labels when it came to actual enjoyment.
Researchers suggested this might be due to a mismatch between the expectations set by feminine labels and the actual taste of the wine.