Predicting Candy Preference

We measured the value people got while eating candy & predicted preferences with 78% accuracy.

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Project Information

THE NEUROLOGIC VALUE BEHIND YOUR SWEET TOOTH AND THE BRAND OF CANDY THAT TAKES THE CAKE.

Humans evolved to crave sugar, and it seems each of us craves a different way to get our sugar fix. The craving is not only for the taste and calories, but the brain motivates us to consume sweets by making the entire experience of eating valuable, and inherently rewarding.

Like everyone else, we at Immersion love sweets and we designed a study to understand how the brain gets value throughout the entire candy consumption experience: opening the package, pulling out the candy, picking it up, putting it in the mouth, chewing it, and experiencing the taste.

We also wanted to see if measures of neurologic value during this experience would predict people's candy preferences.

The Study

Nine candies were included in the study.

Red Vines Original
Licorice, Grape
Sour Punch Bites Apple
Sour Punch Blue Raspberry Straws
Sour Punch Strawberry Straws
Fruit Vines Bites Strawberry
Rollin' Red Candy Super Ropes
Hershey's Kisses

We thank the American Licorice Company for donating their products for testing. (Yum!)

Volunteers watched while the package was opened in front of them and then they were invited to take a piece of candy out of the wrapper, place it in their mouths, and chew it slowly, holding it in their mouths for 60 seconds. We collected data on real-time neurologic value throughout this experience. After tasting the candy, participants could eat it or spit it out in trashcans we provided.

Volunteers then relaxed for 60 seconds while we continued to measure their unconscious value in response to the candy's taste. Then, participants were given a cracker and some water to cleanse their palates before tasting the next candy.

After each tasting, participants were asked if they would purchase the candy they had just tasted. Data were collected on 10 people ages 20-55, both males and females.

70%

Accuracy in predicting purchase intent

70%

Accuracy in predicting purchase intent

70%

Accuracy in predicting purchase intent

50%

Higher Value with anticipation

50%

Higher Value with anticipation

50%

Higher Value with anticipation

10

People in cohort

10

People in cohort

10

People in cohort

The Results

Value was almost 50% higher when people watched the candy being unwrapped and picked it up to eat it compared to when they tasted the candy. Our analysis confirmed other studies of reward anticipation in animals and humans: the prospect of a reward is valuable in and of itself.

We estimated a statistical model using the Value Score during the entire candy experience to predict intent to purchase. Average Value was a statistically significant predictor of intent to purchase, while no self-report variables were significant besides how pleasant the candy tasted (naturally!).

Impressively for such a small sample size, Immersion's data accurately predicted purchase intent with 78% accuracy. This shows how closely our Value Score output tracks preferences.

So, which candy was most loved? By a landslide, the winner was Hershey's Kisses. Kisses were rated as tastiest and were nearly always swallowed rather than spat out after tasting.

When volunteers were offered free candy to take home, Kisses were taken twice as often as the second most popular choice, Red Vines.

So, the next time you curse Lindt for the excessive wrapping around their chocolate truffles, just remember that this significantly increases the neurologic Value you will get from the candy.

Paul Zak, PhD - Immersion Founder

So, the next time you curse Lindt for the excessive wrapping around their chocolate truffles, just remember that this significantly increases the neurologic Value you will get from the candy.

Paul Zak, PhD - Immersion Founder

So, the next time you curse Lindt for the excessive wrapping around their chocolate truffles, just remember that this significantly increases the neurologic Value you will get from the candy.

Paul Zak, PhD - Immersion Founder

Learning #1

Value predicts candy preferences above self-report measures and does so with high accuracy.

Learning #2

Choosing to eat candy and other foods starts with anticipation. Food manufacturers should make the anticipatory experience multi-sensory, using sights, sounds, touch, and smells to enhance value.

Learning #3

Anticipation can be highlighted in your video ads. No need to simply show the smiling faces of the actors enjoying your product, tap into the thrill of the build up to increase value for your audience.

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