Sensory Claim Substantiation and MMR Research Objectives
A national beer brewer looking to launch a new line of low-carb beers in key US markets engaged MMR Strategy Group to substantiate its sensory claims. Our goal was to measure the taste of our client’s new product against that of their main competitor, in an old-fashioned taste test.
MMR Survey Methods and Modes for Measuring Taste
MMR Strategy Group measured the preferences of 429 respondents, using a custom questionnaire to measure which beer they prefer overall, which of the two were more refreshing, and which had the better taste. The methodology is widely accepted for sensory claims substantiation and is summarized below.
- MMR conducted a central location taste test in nine cities, distributed according to the regions defined by the US Census Bureau, including two cities each in the Northeast, Midwest, and West regions, and three cities in the South.
- MMR recruited and qualified respondents by age and whether they recently consumed a competitor product
- Demographics for survey respondents were derived from the demographics of people who had recently consumed a competitor beer, and the distribution of taste tests involving either cans or bottles reflected can and bottle sales data for that competitor
- For quality control reasons, MMR conducted the survey in a double-blind manner, with a control question designed to filter out biased or inattentive respondents
- Beer was served in the same way in each city, including serving temperature and size of pour. Respondents cleansed their palates before, during, and after each beer.
Claims Substantiated
MMR Strategy Group found that overall, respondents expressed equal preference for the taste of client’s beer and the competitor’s beer, and that they were equally refreshing. However, the results varied geographically and by age. Preference for our client’s product was highest in the Midwest and Northeast, but lowest in the South and West. In particular, preference for the taste of our client’s beer was highest in Chicago, New Jersey, Detroit, and Boston, and lowest in Charlotte, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Orlando, and Phoenix. Additionally, younger and middle-aged respondents preferred our client’s beer.
Our reports provided key insights to our client, to help launch its new product to the right audiences geographically and demographically. While the taste test did not reveal an overall preference for our client’s product, MMR Strategy Group reporting and research insights helped this brand make tactical launch decisions. If you are considering launching into a new market with new claims, contact MMR Strategy Group for a consultation on how you can optimize–and substantiate–your ads.