Examination of Visual Brand Identity Elements of Retail Banking Websites Using Eye-tracking

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of visual brand identity elements on consumer awareness and their role in brand identification through the websites of two retail banks in Hungary. The research focuses on Generation Z. Applying the interdisciplinary approach of marketing and ergonomics, the importance of the research lies in the fact that it fills a knowledge gap, since few studies in the literature examine and connect the elements of visual brand identity in the retail banking sector with consumer perception. Two online communication websites of retail banks were examined using eye-tracking methodology to obtain more information on how visual brand identity elements influence consumers' attention. The study is based on 2 x 20 eye-tracking studies, 2 x 20 interviews and 2 x 20 surveys. The eye-tracking results were processed using Tobii Studios, heatmaps and gaze plot visualisation. Based on the results the most important visual brand identity elements on the websites of the studied retail banks are the logo, colour, human figure, and slogan. Moreover, the visual brand identity elements that appear on the website as moving images have an impact on viewers' attention, drawing attention towards the textual content.