TOMORROW’S TASTEBUDS

Greg TuckerThe Marketing Clinic

July 2011

Greg TuckerE: Greg@marketingclinic.comT: +44 (0) 1223 871884M: +44 (0) 7774 281591

Learning From The Best!

Tomorrow’s Tastebuds

TOMORROW’S TASTEBUDS

What Is Taste?

What Are The Global Key Trends - & Their Counterpoints – The Dangers?

Understanding The ‘Big’ Movers Globally

Learning & Applying The Lessons

Global Taste Trends

• It is clear from my work that there are trends which are Global

• Certain themes emerge repeatedly – and can be transferred across markets

• I will illustrate the 5 meta trends via brands I have worked on recently – since I can then answer your difficult questions – hopefully!

• But – first things first – what are Tastes

In The Beginning: Today’s Tastebuds

• Just like a story or a film – every Consumption Experience has a beginning, a middle and an end

• There is a story to be unravelled – the taste journey

At key ‘Plot points’ (eg aroma, mid mouth, aftertaste etc) emotional shifts are triggered.

These must be understood to ensure the consumer (audience) gets the right experience ……

‘‘Cutaway’ Head Cutaway’ Head Understanding The Consumption Experience Understanding The Consumption Experience

Aroma: Location and intensity of impact

1

Initial impact’’

2

Fuller expansion

3

Growing, spreading wash – additional developments

4

Final pay-off – physiologically & psychologically

Trend 1: Fixing Problems!

• Brands have become increasingly good at identifying problems and trying to fix them

• Lager gives the best example

A MOUTH REACTION SUPPORTED BY ONE IN THE STOMACH.

Fresh, crisp light refreshment

Impact fades quickly

BitternessAnd

sourness builds from mid to rear

mouthAftertaste lingers

Too dry mouth with bloated stomach(Need for another lager or change drink to freshen)

Fresh, crisp light refreshment

Impact fades quickly

BitternessAnd

sourness builds from mid to rear

mouthAftertaste lingers

bloated stomach(Need for another lager or change drink to freshen)

Duration

Intensity

Taste sticky builds to satiation

adheres to mouth

The Lager Problem!!

Grolsch & The Lager Problem

Lager Organoleptics Lager Organoleptics

Aroma: Clean, some recessive dark notes, sour yet also malty – a misdirection that reinforces the initial in-mouth impact

1Cool, clean, crisprefreshing, impactful,stimulating, watery:‘‘The Lager Moment’The Lager Moment’

2

Liquid flows through, quenching & refreshing yet some flavour residue retained in mid mouth – becoming richer & fuller

3

The malty taste buildsplus yeasty brewed noteswhich accrue in mid/rearand roof area

4

Dull, stale lifeless notesaccrue – reinforced byreflux effect – absolute antithesis of ‘Lager Moment’

Lager ‘Shape’

2 34

1

Understanding Lager Understanding Lager

Lager ‘Shape’

Filtration

• Remove all taste – the problem & also much of the attraction….

• There has been a rush to increase perceived filtration – much of it driven by ‘borrowing’ from a parallel category

Lifting Parallel Category Learnings

• Vodka in America is legally defined as:

• Colourless

• Odourless

• Tasteless

• Rush to deliver against this has promoted Filtration to a God-Like status & made the term ‘Pure’ desirable across multiple areas – 4 times, 5 times

• Until ‘Different’ Filtration methods are promoted as a benefit!

Filtered … Through Milk!!

Temperature

• Having removed taste via filtration – then make sure what’s left is hidden by serving it really, really cold!

• Refrigeration is a meta global trend

Refrigeration & Cooling

• Many have tried to include it via Menthol additions to products – especially drinks. No one has yet succeeded but if you want to crack 1 idea that will make your fortune – globally – this is it

• A cooling addition that doesn’t taste medicinal

• See me later if you have a patentable idea….

Refrigeration & Cooling: The Growing Middle Classes

• This drives many trends

• Consider the onward march of bottled waters in places such as China & India…

The Growing Middle Classes - China

Taste Transfer

• Unfortunately water is not always transferable

• Despite Evian being a global brand – the economics are not very clever

• & neither is the taste universally acceptable

• Thus mapping palates for water (& other things – eg fruits) – makes sense

Mizone: But Not Mizone!

Own the problem

Give the taste a reason to be an advantage

Transfer Between Markets Unchanged…

The Unified Approach

• Do all the above

• Filtered• Chilled• Transferred

Some You Win…

• But not all products can be liked

• If you can’t fix it – own it & explain it!

• So making dislike an advantage is sometimes a valid strategy…

If In Doubt

• Aim Away – Educate The Next Generation!

• Nutella ….What A Story!

• What An Impact – Being Ridden By Other Brands

Get The Children Onside!

Someone’s little treasure!

5 Meta Global Taste Trends

• Fresh

• Artisan

• Contrasts

• Healthy

• Savoury

Fresh

Fresh

Artisan

Artisan : Australia

Artisan : Australia

Artisan : Italian Airport Catering!

Contrasts

Contrasts

Healthy : Spot The Link?

3 Countries With Highest Per Capita Consumption Of All Bran!

Healthy

Healthy : Australia

Savoury

Summary

• See the trends – the trend is your friend

• Have the creativity to ‘Transfer’ concepts and ideas

• It doesn’t have to be ‘New’ to be ‘Innovative’

• Successful brands also have Self Confidence …

Xmas In New York!!