For food and beverage advertisers, understanding consumer taste preferences is critical. New research is shedding more light on what drives the preferences of one group, known as supertasters. This research may allow advertisers to better market their products to this segment of the population.
The research of Michael LaTour, a former professor of marketing and law at Ithaca College who passed away in November 2015; his wife Kathy LaTour, an associate professor of services marketing at Cornell University; and Brian Wansink, professor of marketing at Cornell, is set to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Advertising Research.
The trio used three small studies to answer several questions about supertasters—individuals whose increased amount of taste bud papillae leave them prone to disliking bitter foods while preferring sweet ones—and find out more about their brand identification ability, brand loyalty and if their abilities dissipate with learning.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Friday December 23 2016, @04:34AM
I've found that to be rather hit or miss in practice. If it's just somewhat bitter that's something I've been able to get used to for things like tea. But, it doesn't work if it's a really strong bitter taste, like you get from certain greens.
I'm not sure how it is for other people that are sensitive to the bitter taste, but I haven't really noticed much difference over the years on the foods that I really can't stand. And I wouldn't expect much change as I've never heard of anybody getting used to the taste of aspirin or other similar flavors.