Pack and label testing is a type of product packaging research that helps brands understand how well their packaging performs in real-world buying environments. These tests look specifically at how customers perceive packaging – from the visual impact of colors and fonts to how clear the messaging is and whether the label communicates key benefits and features.

In short, pack testing measures whether your design is working – and if it’s helping or hurting your chances of being chosen over competitors. Today’s crowded shelves and digital marketplaces don’t leave room for guesswork. With limited time to capture attention, brands need packaging that not only looks good, but also clearly informs and persuades.

Core Objectives of Pack and Label Testing

• Visual Standout: Does your packaging catch the shopper’s eye quickly?
• Message Clarity: Is your label easy to read and understand at a glance?
• Comprehension: Are product claims and benefits communicating what you want them to?
• Purchase Intent: Would a customer choose your product based on the packaging alone?

There are many reasons why businesses – especially consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands – choose to invest in pack testing. Some are launching new products and need to test early drafts of labels. Others are considering a design refresh and want to understand how it compares to a previous version or to competing designs.

Using research to inform these decisions helps brands reduce the risk of expensive packaging failures or underperforming launches. It also ensures the final design reflects real consumer feedback, not internal guesses.

Beyond the “first impression” factor, label testing also helps uncover key areas of opportunity or confusion – for example, if nutritional info is buried too far down, or if the product’s unique benefits are unclear. Having data behind these insights makes it easier to justify changes to creative teams or leadership later on.

Ultimately, knowing what works before you go to market gives brands the confidence to move faster, stay on-budget, and stand out. As technology makes testing easier to access, there’s never been a better time to make packaging decisions informed by consumer insights.

AYTM Diagnostics is a powerful platform designed to help teams conduct research quickly and independently. For packaging, it offers intuitive tools that allow users to test label designs, compare alternatives, gather visual feedback, and access rich data – all without needing a full-scale agency study.

But the real value of using AYTM for pack testing lies in its ability to break down customer response into measurable insights. This allows businesses to pinpoint which elements are resonating, and where design or messaging may need improvement.

Key Pack Testing Features Available in AYTM Diagnostics:

• Heatmaps & Click Mapping: See which parts of your packaging get the most attention
• Label Comprehension: Evaluate how well customers understand core messages or claims
• Monadic & Sequential Tests: Compare new packaging against existing versions or competitor brands
• Visual Appeal Ratings: Gather customer feedback on design, layout, and overall appeal

These tools are particularly helpful for CPG brands that need fast-turnaround results to inform go-to-market decisions or internal design discussions. Using AYTM makes it possible to collect thousands of data points in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods, all while keeping control of the process in-house.

However, while DIY research tools are convenient, they come with challenges. It’s easy to collect data – but harder to interpret it meaningfully or correctly. For example, is a drop in visual appeal tied to color contrast, copy placement, or competitor noise on shelf? These are the kinds of questions that require a trained eye.

That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent can make a real impact. Our experienced consumer insights professionals help teams not only set up DIY packaging research effectively but also make sure the data answers the right business questions. We provide flexible support – whether you need a short-term project lead, a packaging specialist, or someone to upskill your internal team and guide your AYTM research into actionable outcomes.

In a world where brands are pressed for speed, budgets, and internal capacity, the combination of smart market research tools paired with human expertise is becoming the new gold standard. Simply put, data needs interpretation – and even the best DIY tools work better when used by the right expert hands.

Why Measuring the Right Metrics Matters

When conducting pack testing or label testing using DIY tools like AYTM Diagnostics, it's critical to focus on the metrics that reflect how a product will perform in the real world. Consumer decisions at the shelf are made in seconds, so your product packaging needs to catch attention, communicate effectively, and stand out from competition—all while staying aligned with brand strategy.

1. Visual Impact

This measures how well your packaging grabs attention. Using visual testing methodologies such as heatmaps or eye-tracking simulations (available in platforms like AYTM), brands can understand what draws the eye first and how long a shopper engages with different visual elements.

Example: If a fictional beverage company is testing two label designs, and one draws the eye faster and holds attention longer, that version would rank higher in visual impact.

2. Message Clarity

Clear communication is crucial. AYTM diagnostics allow you to test how well the key messaging—such as product benefits, flavor indicators, or brand values—is understood. This often includes comprehension tests or open-end responses that reveal confusion or misinterpretation from consumers.

Tip: Simpler messaging typically wins. If too many elements need unpacking, your messaging clarity score could suffer.

3. Standout or Shelf Presence

Does your packaging blend in or stick out in a competitive set? The 'shelf test' in pack testing simulations replicates a real-world retail shelf environment to assess how well a design pulls focus from competitors.

In AYTM, you can present packaging among a digital aisle of similar products and ask respondents which one they’d most likely notice and why. This insight is particularly valuable for CPG brands fighting for attention in crowded categories.

What These Metrics Reveal

• Visual Impact: Helps refine design elements like color, size, or placement.
• Message Clarity: Pinpoints copy or imagery that needs simplification.
• Standout/Shelf Presence: Indicates whether you're winning the first moment of truth in retail.

These metrics are actionable when used together and viewed through a strategic lens. While platforms like AYTM make data collection easy, interpreting the “so what?”—and translating that into smart business decisions—is where experienced insights professionals bring real value.

The Rise of DIY Market Research Tools

Tools like AYTM Diagnostics have made packaging and label testing faster and more accessible than ever. Research and marketing teams can now gather feedback in days, not weeks, and at a fraction of the cost of traditional full-service studies. This is a huge step forward—but it's not a complete solution.

While self-serve platforms empower teams to run studies independently, getting results doesn’t always mean getting answers. That’s where skilled researchers come in.

The Human Side of Data Interpretation

Interpreting consumer insights goes beyond viewing survey scores or dashboards. Experienced professionals are trained to analyze results through a strategic lens, make connections across datasets, and guide decisions rooted in solid research objectives.

Without this perspective, there’s a risk of misinterpreting the data. For example, a pack that scores high on visual appeal might fail on comprehension. A seasoned researcher would identify that trade-off and recommend solutions tailored to your brand’s goals—something a dashboard can’t do on its own.

Turning Research into Strategy

Skilled researchers ensure that your DIY market research doesn’t become data for data’s sake. They help with:

• Study Design: Making sure the right questions are being asked in the right way.
• Audience Selection: Choosing the correct sample segments for richer and more accurate insights.
• Business Relevancy: Connecting the findings to product strategy, marketing campaigns, or brand positioning.

In short, skilled talent amplifies the value of DIY tools like AYTM by ensuring you’re testing the right things—and using the results to take the right actions.

Real Tools, Real Expertise

Consumer insights shouldn’t become watered down just because they’re easier to access. The shift toward self-service platforms is a positive trend—but pairing them with experienced researchers ensures quality control, deeper insights, and stronger outcomes. Even with the best tools, it takes human perspective to keep insights truly customer-driven and actionable.

Expertise When You Need It – No Long-Term Hiring Required

One of the biggest challenges businesses face when adopting DIY market research tools like AYTM is resource bandwidth. Teams are often stretched thin or lack the specific expertise required for strategic pack testing, label testing, or product packaging research. That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent network comes in.

Our On Demand Talent are experienced consumer insights professionals available on a flexible, fractional basis. They bring hands-on knowledge of leading platforms—including AYTM—and can plug into your team quickly, often within days, to support short-term needs or larger-scale projects.

How On Demand Talent Supports Your AYTM Projects

Whether it’s your first label test or you’re optimizing packaging for multiple SKUs, On Demand Talent can help you:

• Design Stronger Studies: From optimizing your pack design research workflow to crafting survey questions that dig deeper, our experts know how to set up AYTM diagnostics for maximum insight.
• Interpret Results Strategically: Beyond basic metrics, our professionals help extract patterns, consumer motivations, and trade-offs that AI and dashboards can’t explain alone.
• Upskill Your Team: As your team adopts DIY market research tools, On Demand Talent experts can work alongside them—building confidence and internal capabilities that last far beyond the current project.
• Maintain Quality Without Sacrificing Speed: Even with tight timelines and budgets, you don’t have to compromise on insight quality. Our fractional insights professionals deliver both agility and expertise.

Flexible Talent for Growing Business Needs

From startup teams looking to validate their first packaging concept to global brands refining their shelf presence, our network covers every industry and packaging challenge. The best part? You get access to senior-level talent without the delays and costs of permanent hiring or long vendor contracts. And unlike freelancers or consultants, On Demand Talent from SIVO are vetted specialists who integrate seamlessly with your internal teams and keep the work on objective.

If you’re investing in tools like AYTM to modernize your insights function, pairing it with smart human support is the key to unlocking its full value.