Fall 2016 Intern
As a self-proclaimed impulse buyer,
I am all too familiar with the trials, tribulations and joys attached to being
a consumer. Many of us develop brand preferences and remain loyal to said
brands for years. When you’re subconsciously reaching for that specific cereal on
a routine grocery trip, do you ever stop to ask yourself what exactly it is
about that brand that you enjoy so much? If you do, I’m impressed. If not, well . . . neither
do I.
Despite most of us hardly ever
pausing to consider the mechanics behind the products we know and love, there
are some who specialize in it. One of these brand experts is Charles Spence, a
professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University. Spence studies the sensory
interaction that is responsible for creating our consumer experiences. His
research in the field of consumer psychology and multisensory perception has
made him an asset to many major brands.
Spence’s experiments inspire both
awe and disbelief regarding consumers’ tendencies to be influenced by
surrounding stimuli when interacting with a product. In an experiment
that gained him recognition, he analyzed whether a potato chip would taste
different if the sound of its crunch were altered. All test subjects were fed
chips that did not vary much in terms of shape and texture—Pringles were chosen
as the chip of choice due to their uniformity. Situated in front of a
microphone inside a soundproof booth, the subjects could hear every bite they took
through a set of headphones. From outside of the booth, Spence tweaked the crunch
sound they were hearing by means of an amplifier and equalizer. Nearly all of
the volunteers reported that the chips were different.
Further studies by Spence and other
researchers have revealed additional fascinating consumer insights. Lab studies
have shown that the color red suggests sweetness, that names with “k” sounds
can be associated with a bitter taste and that curved shapes (be it the shape
of the food or the plate it is served on) enhance the sweetness that the
consumer experiences.
Spence believes these findings can
explain certain product failures. Coca Cola’s special edition white cans failed
due to consumer confusion
with Diet Coke cans and complaints of a different taste from the usual red
cans. Cadbury had a similar experience—when they changed the shape of their
milk chocolate from square to curved, customers thought it was too sweet. The
candy company also had little luck with a product that included “KOKO” in its
name.
Although they may seem quirky, these
discoveries may improve the quality of many consumer experiences. Heston
Blumenthal, a notable chef Spence has been working with for over twelve years,
combines food and music to heighten taste for diners at his restaurant. One of
his dishes comes with an MP3 player programmed with beach sounds to accentuate
the taste of the food.
Next time you sit down to eat,
remember, it’s not just taste that is influencing your experience. That’s just
the way the chip crunches.
Did You Know?
Charles Spence won an Ig Nobel
Nutrition Prize for his potato chip study. The Ig Nobel Prizes “honor achievements
that make people laugh, and then think.”
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