“Tasting Shapes: Capitalizing on Crossmodal Correspondences to Modify Consumers’ Taste Perceptions” by Professor Tina M. Lowrey
STRATEGY SEMINAR
Speaker:
Professor Tina M. Lowrey
Professor of Marketing
HEC Paris
Abstract:
Crossmodal correspondence refers to the association between a feature or attribute in one sensory modality and a feature or attribute in another sensory modality. In this research, we investigate the correspondence between shape and taste. Across 5 experiments, we show that shape (in the form of a product logo) influences taste expectations and actual taste experiences. We further show that associative strength in memory between shape and taste influences taste expectations and experiences, and that the effects occur at an implicit level (e.g., demonstrated by subliminal priming effects of shape on taste). We also show that shape of the product logo influences liking for the product, that this effect is mediated by taste expectations and moderated by a priori taste preferences.
