A strategic discovery into the insight of human taste and emotion

1. The Emotion of Flavor
Communicating the Experience to the Modern Male
Prepared for G2 Branding & Design NY by Lee Chapman, March 2008

2. "Flavor preferences and personality traits develop at the same time --
during the first seven years of life. The sense of smell and taste as
well as emotional responses are processed in the same area of the
brain...People select their favorite flavors not only on taste and
smell sensations, but also emotional experiences."
Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director, the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation

3. Flavor is the emotion created by the pursuit of human enjoyment

4. It took a monkey
for us to realize
how much we
enjoy chocolate!

5. From banal “tastes great” to enriched
flavor experiences
"Water, thou hast no taste, no color, no odor; canst not be
defined, art relished while ever mysterious. Not necessary to
life, but rather life itself, thou fillest us with a gratification
that exceeds the delight of the senses."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, From Wind, Sand and Stars, 1939

6. Taste (n): the sense by which the tongue
discerns and perceives. Informative & Rational
⟲
Flavor (n): the sensory impression of substances
determined by smell, sight, taste, texture, and
emotion

7. The exploration
of food, taste,
Stages: How we Learn to Eat flavor, texture,
⬈ and utensils
12-14 Months
Inclusion of spices
Variety & combination
Single ingredients only
Sustenance

8. Humans are “Conditioned” in the Womb
“...we are hardwired to prefer sweet and avoid
bitter. The flavors we sample while we're
still in the womb stay with us into infancy
and perhaps well beyond. We probably get
our first taste of the world through the
amniotic fluid that shelters us and that this
prenatal experience carries over into the
first year of life.”
“...Eating beloved foods stimulates some of
the same neural pathways as addictive drugs
like cocaine. Other research suggests that
our stomachs may literally be thinking for us:
A separate sensory system located in the gut
sends subliminal messages to the brain about
what's good to eat and what's not.”

9. The Human Condition and Food Exposes a Culture’s Foibles
Psychology Today, Sep/Oct 2003
20% of Americans eat from a palate of just 10 or fewer foods
The human condition and food exposes a culture

10. Attachment to Flavors - American Favorites
29% 8.9% 5.3% 5.3% 4.2%
Personality Type: Personality Type: Personality Type: Personality Type: Personality Type:
Colorful, dramatic risk Competitive and Devoted, conscientious, Thoughtful, logical Lively, creative and
taker who relies more on accomplished; competent respectful and fiscally person. More a follower dramatic. Always the
intuition than logic. and ambitious in love and conservative; High than a leader - effective life of the party -
Emotionally expressive and work; generous with time/ standards and integrity. working behind the scenes passionate and
idealistic, sets high goals money. Captivating
personality Wears heart on sleeve and out of the limelight excited
Sources: Icecream.com, Baskin-Robbins, Ben & Jerry’s, Yahoo.com

11. “Cola Taste” but “Brand Flavor”
VS
Brain scans of people tasting the soft drinks reveal that knowing which drink
they're tasting affects their preference and activates memory-related brain regions
that recall cultural influences. Thus, say the researchers, they have shown
neurologically how a culturally based brand image influences a behavioral choice.
(Samuel M. McClure, Jian Li, Damon Tomlin, Kim S. Cypert, Latané M. Montague, and P. Read Montague: "Neural
Correlates of Behavioral Preference for Culturally Familiar Drinks", 2004)

12. Nationality & Eating Attitudes
The French relish their meals and Americans are consumed with worry
gobble down wine, cheese, sausage and anxiety, fearing fried eggs as
and other high-fat delicacies, with death-in-a-skillet and obsessing over
no concern of its affects fat-free treats. Compared to the
Japanese, the French and the
Belgians, Americans worry most
about food but are least likely to
call themselves "healthy eaters"
Source: Paul Rozin, University of Pennsylvania; “Food: The Science of Scrumptious”, Psychology Today, Sept/Oct 2008

13. 2008 trends: Geo-Cultural Influences are Evolving Our Taste
The New Global Street Food: From Mexican antojitos to Indian chaat, the next wave of global
snacks and handheld foods are moving indoors, offering new flavor experiences from around the
world.
The New Simplicity/Farmer's Market Cuisine: Chefs who love fresh, local, seasonal and artisanal
foods find themselves cooking more simply than ever before. It's all about buying the best
ingredients, and letting their natural flavors shine through.
Cured & Pickled Foods: Made-in-house or purchased, items like salami, cedar-cured salmon, craft
bacons, sauerkraut and specialty pickles are adding flavor and interest to menus.
The Educated Menu: Operators are taking a more proactive stance in educating consumers about
sourcing, raising & aging techniques, regionality, produce variety, etc.
Unexpected Enhancements (i.e., sweet meets salty, savory, floral, herbal): Chefs are
differentiating dessert offerings by complementing sweetness with surprising flavors.
Flavor & The Menu, 2008

14. The Modern Flavor Trade

15. In an average day we encounter 15+ flavors
Psychology Today, Sep/Oct 2003

16. Flavor Elixirs for 2008
The flavor direction in 2007 will lean toward ethnic, exotic and experiential flavors — those
that tingle, cool, pucker or create heat. Other trends include flavors with an intense look,
aroma and taste. Specific flavor trends in this category ranged widely and include:
Guava, Mangosteen, Pink peppercorn, Smoked paprika, Acai berry, Blue ginger/
galangal, Amazonian, Rooibos/red tea, Rhubarb
Pleasure Principle: Indulgence spanning from simple to luxurious feeds the emotional experience
and defines personal pleasure. These flavors are usually sophisticated, adult tastes and feature
sweet, creamy, frothy and textural flavors that include rich, sticky sweet browns such as:
Caramel, Coffee, Custard, Tapioca, Pandan, Toffee, Vintage spirits (Wine,
Champagne), Buttercream, Bitter chocolate, Artisanal honey
“Body & Soul” category of flavors in the forecast is based on physical and emotional health and
wellness. Consumers are looking for a total sense of wellness for the mind, body, appearance and
vitality through their environment, lifestyle, and the products they consume. Flavors in this category
are defined by active hydration flavors from foods with high water content
Miso, Watermelon, Pomegranate, Lavender, Green & White Tea, Almond, Pear,
Bergamot, Cardamom, Olive

17. Communicating Flavor

18. Communicating the notion of
flavor today has become more
complex as product categories
have innovated, brands have
proliferated, products have
become parity, and consumers
have become increasingly more
segmented and fragmented by
behavior, attitude, and usage
“...Scanning the shelves at
my local supermarket i
recently found 85
different varieties of
crackers...285 variations
of cookies...among
chocolate chip there were
21 options...”
“The Paradox of Choice: Why Less is
More”, Barry Schwartz, 2004

19. Flavor is democratic and unownable, hence the
reason vodka brands line extension the base
variant...the portfolio becomes the flavor

20. Old
The Vodka Principles: Provenance,
Packaging, Ingredient, Purity, Flavor/Taste
The communications challenge for a flavor-based brand is
to communicate its differentiation by elevating the brand
or by focusing on the flavor proposition (the product).
In a fragmented category it becomes more difficult to
have a singular proposition. Now, marketers are creating
lifestyle-referenced flavors...

21. 1994
1974
1989
2000 2007
1999

22. The Culture
of Flavor

24. Flavor as Storyteller

26. 1941 2008

27. Visuals > Words
Why? Flavor is as Mood Enhancer = Experiential

32. Since its creation in 1953 the tv
dinner has experienced change,
which has impacted marketing and
communication in frozen/prepared
food category. The target, the
occasion, the product, the
message, and the user have all
transformed. The packaging is a
strong indication that the
language of convenience has
evolved

33. Implications

34. • There are many new flavors but an english language of only 750,000 words. If a
picture can speak 1,000 words, its easier for marketers to communicate through
imagery than words. Words cannot fully express the emotion of flavor
• Product innovations in mature categories is driving what little change in lexicon
and messaging there is. With new products comes new opportunities to describe
products beyond the functionally obvious. The experience (sensation, etc) is
greater than the product offering
• Flavor is less ownable and discernible by brand. Creating a range of flavor to
meet individual personalities and moods allows the product to be consumed more
often and in new ways and occasions
• Consumers are empowered by customization, “suiting things to their tastes”. As
they help brands by becoming stewards, flavor will be dictated by consumers.
• There is very little evidence to suggest that there are different business or
communications models as it relates to flavor. The rule of the thumb appears to
be extend the base
• Challenger brands seem to have more flexibility to talk about flavor in new ways
than traditional brands, because they are delivering new and unique products in
new and relevant ways
• Flavor can have a halo effect on a brand, modernizing or even legitimizing its
existence
• Understanding how flavor is “paired” with attitudes and social behavior is key for
the Millennial target; they’re life is a mash of ethnic, religious and geographic
flavors
• Drivers of Decoding flavor: culture + image + mood