Synovate case studies
Synovate ProductQuest
Issue:
A major player in the fresh liquid milk market wanted to enter the flavoured sector with a chocolate flavoured milk. There are a number of established products, with one dominant. Not wanting to compromise their brand strength in their existing sector, they wanted to ensure that any product they launched would be liked at least as much as the benchmark competitor.
Action:
The client developed two prototypes, for a blind sensory evaluation against the benchmark competitor, using the techniques and output appropriate at the feasibility stage of the product life cycle.
As the product was targeted at 12 year olds and above, the research was undertaken at a central location, with current consumers of chocolate flavoured milk, using a self completion, close-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised a list of product attributes, developed via vocabulary elicitation (to ensure consumers understood the content of the questionnaire), with the consumers providing information covering liking of hedonistic aspects and their perceptions as to the intensity of the product attributes.
A sensory approach was taken to convey the findings to Marketing and R&D, with the detail as to the degree of modifications required detailed to R&D at the presentation.
The results highlighted one of the prototypes having the potential to compete successfully against the benchmark competitor, after fine-tuning adjustments to the chocolate taste and aroma attributes.
The better prototype was modified, and now competes very successfully while paving the way for further line extensions by the client.