The importance of sensory profiling in Marketing

There is no marketing without consumers. And there are no consumers without marketing.

After this piece of wisdom, let’s get serious now. Understanding consumer preferences has become essential for the success of any product.

One of the most innovative and precise methods to achieve this understanding is sensory profiling, a technique that can transform and enhance marketing and product development strategies.

But let’s go step by step.

What is sensory profiling?

Sensory profiling is a scientific approach that analyzes and measures consumer responses to various stimuli such as tastes, odors, and textures. This method allows for the creation of detailed profiles of consumers' sensory preferences, grouping them into segments with similar tastes and preferences.

At Vinhood, we use this technique to map consumer taste preferences across various markets, providing valuable data for companies in the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry.

Our methodology

One of our methods is the Country Taste Profile: an innovative tool that gathers millions of data points on consumer taste preferences across over 40 countries.

This method enables us to identify the Taste Identities of consumers, that is, their taste profiles, using the Taste Test.

Our proprietary model allows us to define consumer preferences for taste, texture, and aromatic notes, categorizing them into groups with similar sensory characteristics.

Benefits for companies

• Tailored Product Development: understanding consumer sensory preferences allows companies to develop products that precisely match the tastes of their target audience. This increases the likelihood of success for new product launches, reducing the failure rate that affects 76% of new products within a year of launch.
• Entering New Markets: sensory profiling helps understand the differences and similarities in taste preferences across various markets. This facilitates entry into new countries by adapting products to local and cultural preferences.
• Effective Communication Strategies: with detailed data on taste preferences, companies can create more targeted and persuasive marketing campaigns that resonate better with consumers.
• Identifying Unsatisfied Market Segments: sensory profiling allows companies to discover groups of consumers whose preferences are not met by the current market offerings, creating opportunities to develop innovative products that fill these gaps.

Implementing sensory profiling

Vinhood’s approach to sensory profiling combines qualitative and quantitative research, interviews, and data collected through profiling tools active in 38 countries.

This rigorous process ensures high statistical relevance, with a confidence interval of 95% or higher for each identified sensory group.

Case Study: a guaranteed success

A practical example of the effectiveness of Vinhood’s sensory profiling is our collaboration with Lavazza.

Using the Country Taste Profile, Lavazza was able to develop new products that precisely met the sensory preferences of consumers in various markets, significantly boosting sales and brand loyalty. Sensory profiling is a powerful marketing tool that provides a competitive advantage to companies in the F&B sector.

Thanks to this innovative approach, companies can develop tailored products, successfully enter new markets, and create deep connections with consumers.

Investing in sensory profiling not only improves the effectiveness of marketing strategies but also increases the chances of success for new product launches, ensuring sustainable and long-term growth.