7. Minimalist or Maximalist Brand Design: Influence on Brand Perception in the Context of Online Stores

Design affects consumers’ brand perception, which in turn influences consumer behavior. It is therefore important for online retailers to understand how the design of an online store influences their brand perception. Using a survey of 212 respondents, this chapter examines how minimalist and maximalist brand design affect the four brand attributes “reliability,” “cheerfulness,” “intelligence,” and “creativity.” The designs are implemented using different dimensionality, color palettes, and space usage. The conjoint analysis shows that a minimalist design is perceived as reliable and intelligent, while a maximalist design is perceived as cheerful and creative. Space utilization is the main driver of reliability and intelligence. Color palette plays the most important role in the perception as cheerful and creative. The results help online stores to adapt their design according to their brand perception goals.