Are young teens influenced by increased product description detail and branding during consumer testing

Abstract Previous research with adults has identified that products are hedonically scored differently depending on the amount of information (e.g. branding) accompanying test products. This influence has not been tested with teens, who exhibit a strong affinity for branding. This research tested two different food product categories (chocolate breakfast cereal and seasoned cheese crackers) under three description conditions: blind (category only), context (flavor descriptor/category), and concept (branded). Hedonic responses were measured for overall liking and for specific product characteristics, such as seasoning or sweetness (i.e. “diagnostic” attributes). In both products, the branded concept descriptor did not prove an advantage over the context flavor descriptor for overall liking. However, some diagnostic attribute scoring demonstrated notable differences from the contextual and concept-based conditions. Additional research is suggested for other concepts and product types where branding may have variable interactions with sensory expectations. The potential impacts of brand familiarity and respondent motivation are discussed.

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