TOMORROWS TASTEBUDS Greg Tucker The Marketing Clinic July 2011 Greg Tucker E: T: +44 (0) M: +44 (0)

Learning From The Best!

Tomorrows Tastebuds TOMORROWS 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: Todays 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 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 Bitterness And sourness builds from mid to rear mouth Aftertaste lingers Too dry mouth with bloated stomach (Need for another lager or change drink to freshen) Fresh, crisp light refreshment Impact fades quickly Bitterness And sourness builds from mid to rear mouth Aftertaste 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 Aroma: Clean, some recessive dark notes, sour yet also malty – a misdirection that reinforces the initial in-mouth impact 1 Cool, clean, crisp refreshing, impactful, stimulating, watery: The Lager Moment 2 Liquid flows through, quenching & refreshing yet some flavour residue retained in mid mouth – becoming richer & fuller 3 The malty taste builds plus yeasty brewed notes which accrue in mid/rear and roof area 4 Dull, stale lifeless notes accrue – reinforced by reflux effect – absolute antithesis of Lager Moment 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 whats 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 doesnt 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 cant 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! Someones little treasure!

5 Meta Global Taste Trends Fresh Artisan Contrasts Healthy Savoury

Fresh

Artisan

Artisan : Australia

Artisan : Italian Airport Catering!

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 doesnt have to be New to be Innovative Successful brands also have Self Confidence …

Xmas In New York!!