BLIND TASTE TEST

In a blind taste test, the tasters do not know what they are tasting. They are offered
samples of the product in identical presentations and asked to taste and profile the
samples.

In marketing, a blind taste test is

often used as a tool for
companies to compare their brand
to another brand. Taste tests are
also a tool sometimes used by
companies to develop their brand
or new product. There are two
types of blind taste tests. The
single blind test is where the
experimenters know the information about the participants but the participants do not
know anything about the experimenters or the product that they are testing. In a double
blind taste test, the experimenters know nothing about the participants.

For example, the Pepsi Challenge is a famous taste test that has been run by Pepsi
since 1975 as a method to show their superiority to Coca-Cola. In 1975, Pepsi
introduced the Pepsi Challenge marketing campaign where PepsiCo set up a blind
tasting between Pepsi-Cola and rival Coca-Cola. During these blind taste tests the
majority of participants picked Pepsi as the better tasting of the two soft drinks. PepsiCo
took great advantage of the campaign with television commercials reporting the test
results to the public.

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Experiment

Blind taste tests of cola drinks were conducted. For this purpose, three comparable
brands Pepsi, Coca-Cola and RC Cola were purchased. To conceal identity and for
neutral results, these brands were poured in paper cups and were given following
neutral identity:
Brand G= Pepsi
Brand H= Coca-Cola
Brand I= RC Cola

Ten people were randomly selected and were asked to taste all three samples and
answer following questions:
(a) What brand do you normally prefer?
(b) Which of these samples do you prefer?
(c) What brand do you think each sample is?

Results:
Blind taste tests revealed following results:

S.NO GENDE SAMPLE

. AGE R NORMAL PREFERENCE PREFERENCE SAMPLE BRAND
          BRAND G BRAND H BRAND I
1 15 FEMALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA DON'T KNOW
2 23 MALE COCA-COLA COCA-COLA PEPSI COCA-COLA COCA-COLA
3 28 MALE COCA-COLA COCA-COLA PEPSI COCA-COLA RC COLA
4 14 MALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA
5 18 MALE COCA-COLA PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI
6 24 FEMALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA COCA-COLA
7 20 MALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA MAKKA COLA
8 19 MALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA DON'T KNOW
9 23 FEMALE COCA-COLA COCA-COLA PEPSI COCA-COLA DON'T KNOW
10 16 FEMALE PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI PEPSI COCA-COLA

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Analysis:
10 respondents were selected randomly and were made to taste 3 samples. Out of 10
respondents; majority was males i.e. 6 were males and remaining 4 were females.

GENDER
MALE FEMALE

40%

60%

Since non-probability sampling method was used to therefore 6 people of age between
11 to 20 years were selected and remaining 4 were in the age bracket of 21 to 30 years.
Thus, we can say that teenagers’ participation was greater than that of young adults.

AGE
11-20 yrs 21-30 yrs

40%

60%

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Participants were asked about their general preference in Cola drinks category. Majority
i.e. 60% voted for Pepsi and 40% favored Coca-Cola. 0% i.e. nobody voted for RC
Cola.

NORMAL PREFERENCE
PEPSI COCA-COLA

40%

60%

Randomly participants were asked to taste neutrally tagged cola drinks poured in paper
cups. Most of the participants i.e. 70% preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola. However, 0%
preferred RC Cola over Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

SAMPLE PREFERENCE
BRAND G= PEPSI BRAND H= COCA-COLA BRAND I= RC COLA
30%

70%

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Respondents were asked to identify all three brands. Pepsi was 100% well identified by
all participants. 70% participants were also successful in identifying Coca-Cola.
However, only 1 person i.e. 10% of the sample was able to identify RC Cola.

SAMPLE BRAND RECOGNITION

SAMPLE BRAND RECOGNITION

10
7

BRAND G= PEPSI BRAND H= COCA-COLA BRAND I= RC COLA

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Findings:
Data analysis shows that Pepsi has good cola flavor.
Therefore, we can say that people prefer to go for taste rather
than brand. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are major competitors. Some
people have their brand preference i.e. for Coke but when they
were blind tested they chose taste i.e. Pepsi. RC Cola falls in
Cola drinks category but does not have consumer preference.

General view of people regarding Pepsi is that Pepsi is sweeter

and has limier taste. Few said that Coca-Cola has its own flavor. It’s metallic in taste
and stronger and is more thirst quenching. Few people believe that they taste the same.
General perception of people regarding RC Cola was that it is more or less like Coca-
Cola but when it comes to selection they prefer to buy Coca-Cola. Reasons given were
that Coca-Cola have well-known and established brand name.

Close analysis of the data shows that majority of the teenagers generally prefer Pepsi
over Coca-Cola. The reason could be sweet taste that Pepsi has. Majority of the
females also voted for Pepsi. Young adults were inclined towards Coca-Cola may be
because of the strong and metallic taste or the brand image that Coca-Cola has.

However, sample preferences i.e. when they were asked to drink and evaluate their
preference, majority of them voted for Pepsi i.e. they went for taste.

Also 100% people identified Pepsi with accuracy therefore; we can conclude that Pepsi
has a specific taste i.e. its sweeter that helps to distinguish Pepsi from other drinks.

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Conclusion
Results shows that people do have psychological brand preferences but when it comes
to actual preferences they prefer to go by tastes.

Pepsi and Coca-Cola are major competitors in Cola category and people sometimes
choose/ replace with one another if selected brand is not available. However, due to
lack of marketing RC Cola is unable to gain that recognition. Few respondents replied
that RC Cola is more or less similar to Coke but due to lack of awareness it doesn’t
have high recall. Also they would prefer to go for soda drinks or other soft drinks if both
i.e. Pepsi and Coca-Cola are not available.

Results were somewhat to my expectation as previous blind taste tests studies carried
out by Pepsi and others show that most of the people prefer Pepsi over Coca-Cola. The
reason could be the sweet taste that Pepsi has.

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