Commercial shop window lighting design: Capturing the gaze of passers-by and creating the desire to consume

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the lighting of a commercial shop window can capture the gaze of the passers-by and create a desire to consume. Lighting invites the passer-by to see the shop window and to experience emotions. More specifically, the study focuses on the design of lighting and how it affects the structure, organization and atmosphere of a window display so that customers are attracted to the store through the AIDA method (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action). The relation between lighting, perception of space and consumer’s psychology are explored in order to create an atmosphere that will cause reactions and evoke emotions. A virtual window space was designed as a case study with different lighting scenarios based on the principles of Richard Kelly. A questionnaire was formed and distributed to people of various ages and backgrounds in order to investigate whether lighting design can affect the psychology of the passers-by and arise consumer’s desire to enter the store. The results focus on the four parameters of the AIDA Model: a) how fast can the lighting of a shop window attract the eye of a passer-by (Awareness), b) whether lighting can direct the gaze to a specific point in the shop window (Interest), c) the relationship between lighting and emotion, i.e. what emotion can be provoked to the passer-by with each lighting technique applied in the studied window (Desire) and d) which lighting design techniques are more likely to make people enter the store (Action)