PACKAGE MATERIAL INFLUENCE ON BEVERAGE BRAND EQUITY

Abstract

Packaging materials represent a critical yet underexplored dimension of brand equity formation in consumer markets. While existing marketing scholarship has predominantly centred on advertising and product attributes as the principal drivers of brand value, the tangible, sensory, and symbolic properties of packaging materials remain insufficiently examined, particularly within emerging market contexts. This study investigates the influence of packaging material characteristics, specifically quality, durability, safety, sophistication, and perceived cost on three core dimensions of beverage brand equity: brand awareness, brand association, and brand trust. Adopting a quantitative research design, data were gathered from 346 postgraduate students drawn from four government-owned universities in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria, using a clustered convenience sampling approach. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test three hypotheses. The findings reveal that packaging material attributes jointly and significantly predict beverage brand awareness (R² = 0.434, F = 52.051, p < 0.05), with material durability and quality emerging as the strongest positive predictors. For brand association, packaging material durability exercised a significant inverse influence (R² = 0.243, F = 21.841, p < 0.05), while brand trust was substantially shaped by material durability and safety perceptions (R² = 0.256, F = 23.345, p < 0.05). These results confirm that packaging material characteristics are not merely functional containers but active communicators of brand identity and value. The study contributes theoretically to brand equity literature and provides practical insights for beverage manufacturers seeking to leverage packaging as a strategic brand management tool in competitive markets.