The Emotion of Flavor

Communicating the Experience to the Modern Male

Prepared for G2 Branding & Design NY by Lee Chapman, March 2008

"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

Flavor is the emotion created by the pursuit of human enjoyment

It took a monkey for us to realize

how much we enjoy chocolate!

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

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

⟲

Stages: How we Learn to Eat

12-14 Months

Inclusion of spices

Single ingredients only

Variety & combination

Sustenance

⬈The exploration of food, taste, flavor, texture,

and utensils

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.”

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

Attachment to Flavors - American Favorites

Personality Type:Colorful, dramatic risk

taker who relies more on intuition than logic.

Emotionally expressive and idealistic, sets high goals

Personality Type:Competitive and

accomplished; competent and ambitious in love and work; generous with time/

money. Captivating personality

Personality Type:Devoted, conscientious, respectful and fiscally

conservative; High standards and integrity. Wears heart on sleeve

Personality Type:Thoughtful, logical

person. More a follower than a leader - effective

working behind the scenes and out of the limelight

Personality Type:Lively, creative and

dramatic. Always the life of the party -

passionate and excited

Sources: Icecream.com, Baskin-Robbins, Ben & Jerry’s, Yahoo.com

29% 8.9% 5.3% 5.3% 4.2%

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)

“Cola Taste” but “Brand Flavor”

VS

Nationality & Eating Attitudes

The French relish their meals and gobble down wine, cheese, sausage and other high-fat delicacies, with

no concern of its affects

Americans are consumed with worry and anxiety, fearing fried eggs as

death-in-a-skillet and obsessing over 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

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

The Modern Flavor Trade

In an average day we encounter 15+ flavorsPsychology Today, Sep/Oct 2003

Flavor Elixirs for 2008The 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

Communicating Flavor

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

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

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...

The Vodka Principles: Provenance, Packaging, Ingredient, Purity, Flavor/Taste

Old

1974

1989

1994

1999

2000 2007

The Culture of Flavor

Flavor as Storyteller

1941 2008

Visuals > Words

Why? Flavor is as Mood Enhancer = Experiential

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

Implications

• 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