Abstract
An increasing body of literature demonstrates that consumers associate visual information with specific gustatory elements. This phenomenon is better known as cross-modal correspondence. A specific correspondence that has received attention of late is the one between round forms and sweet taste. Research indicates that roundness (as opposed to angularity) is consistently associated with an increased sweetness perception. Focusing on two different cup forms (round versus angular), two studies tested this association for a butter milk drink and a mate-based soft drink. Results, however, were not able to corroborate the frequently suggested correspondence effect, but a correspondence was found between the angular cup and a more bitter taste for the soft drink. These results are discussed in light of previous findings matching sweetness with roundness and bitterness with angularity, hopefully aiding researchers in this field in conducting future experiments.
Highlights
Recent research in sensory marketing highlights the fact that forms and visuals can influence perception of foods, a phenomenon known as cross-modal correspondence [1]
Across a range of food products, round forms are believed to be associated with a sweeter taste [1], which is corroborated through a number of experiments [4]
Such effects are readily discerned in exploratory research and shape-taste matching studies [4,5], it seems to hold for empirical research involving actual food products
Summary
Recent research in sensory marketing highlights the fact that forms and visuals can influence perception of foods, a phenomenon known as cross-modal correspondence [1]. Across a range of food products, round forms are believed to be associated with a sweeter taste [1], which is corroborated through a number of experiments [4]. Such effects are readily discerned in exploratory research and shape-taste matching studies [4,5], it seems to hold for empirical research involving actual food products. Sweeter beers, as well as sweeter chocolate, are more strongly associated with round shapes [6,7]. Extends these laboratory results to actual retail settings by showing that consumers, perceive hot drinks (coffee and chocolate) consumed from cups with round surface patterns to be sweeter than when consumed from cups with angular surface patterns [8]
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