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This study supports the existence of specific semantic congruent relationships between sensory stimuli and beer brand value dimensions. Beer consumers hold a semantic associative network wherein the most common brand values among beer brands are related with tactile, auditive,

Product and brand evaluation Congruence

beer brand values and taste desciptors

Product and brand perception Multisensory

integration Auditive, tactile and

olfactive stimuli in beer bottle design

Synaesthetic Semantic

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55 olfactive and taste stimuli 1. These beer brand values are classified in groups that share an

underlying dimensions to structure their relationships with sensory stimuli. Based on this structure it is assumed that the brand values belonging to these dimensions are in a similar way related sensory stimuli.

Table 3.7 shows that the brand value dimensions may be positively or negatively related with certain sensory stimuli. This means that the brand values belonging to a positively related dimension match with these sensory stimuli. In contrast, brand values belonging to a negatively relayed dimension do not match with these sensory stimuli. According to the hypothesized framework are sensory stimuli that match with the values of a brand appropriate to use in multisensory beer bottle design, while sensory stimuli that do not match with the brand´s values are considered as inappropriate for multisensory beer bottle design.

The brand value dimensions differ in the type of sensory stimuli they are related to and the nature (positive or negative) and the strength of these relationships. Positive and strong related sensory stimuli are the most appropriate stimuli to use for a brand in beer bottle design. Besides negative related stimuli also weak related stimuli are less useful for multisensory beer bottle design, because these sensory stimuli only have a weak semantic relationship with a particular brand value. The main findings within the relationships of beer brand values and other sensory stimuli is discussed below.

3.4.3.1. Dichotomy

Although there is a lot of variation in the associative networks around distinctive brand value dimensions, there is a dichotomy visible. Especially the brand value dimensions premium, real and

confident show corresponding patterns in related sensory stimuli, while the brand value dimensions aspirational and accessible also share a substantial amount of correlations. This dichotomy is supported during the factor analysis process, because the PCA initially provided a two factor solution.

This suggests that sensory stimuli in beer bottle design would be especially useful to differentiate

premium, real, and confident brand value dimensions from aspirational and accessible brand value dimensions, while it may be more challenging to develop a multisensory beer bottle design to differentiate within these groups.

3.4.3.2. The beer brand flavour

Table 3.7 shows that consumers match beer brand value dimensions stronger to taste and smell stimuli, than auditive and tactile stimuli. These stronger relationships for taste and smell stimuli are no surprise, because these flavour characteristics are the primary product attributes of beer.

1 _{The term ‘semantic associative network’ is chosen to refer to the relationships found between sensory}

stimuli and brand and product values. This term is used instead of ‘synaesthetic associative network’, because participants consciously searched for sensory stimuli which shared identity in meaning with brand values and taste descriptors described by brands.

56 The taste characteristics full-bodied, refreshing, and thirst-quenching and the smell characteristic

intense were strongly associated with multiple brand values dimensions, which suggests that these sensory stimuli are perceived as matching with beer brands in general. These stimuli are less distinctive, but are expected to be generally present for beer brands.

Certain beer brand value dimensions are specifically associated with certain taste descriptors and olfactive stimuli. This means that consumers expect specific beer flavours for distinctive beer brands. These findings correspond to earlier research within the beverage category that

demonstrated that consumers distinguished tastes of beer and cola better in presence of brand names, than when this information was absent (e.g. Allison & Uhl, 1964; McClure, Li, Tomlin, & Cypert et al., 2004).

The dichotomy in the correlational patterns between the brand three values dimensions

premium, real and confident and the two brand value dimensions aspirational and accessible are clearly visible for taste. Consumers match the brand value dimensions premium, real and

confident with bitterness and sharpness, while they do not match these dimensions with a light

and watery taste. These brand value dimensions are also stronger associated with full-bodied

taste than other brand value dimensions.

In contrast, the brand value dimension aspirational and unique are matched with the taste descriptors smooth, easy to drink, light, mild and sweet. The brand value dimension aspirational

also shows a contrasting pattern to premium, real and confident, because aspirational is perceived as not matching with bitter and sharp tastes and as matching with a watery taste.

The brand value dimension unique shows a more irregular pattern which is in line with its name. There are some similarities with the brand values aspirational and accessible like the match with the taste descriptors smooth and easy to drink. However, like the brand value dimensions

premium, real and confident is unique perceived as matching with bitterness and as mismatching with a watery taste.

Consumers do also expect specific beer smells for certain brand value dimensions and the dichotomy is as well clearly presented in the correlational pattern between the brand value dimensions and olfactive stimuli. Although an intense smell is associated with nearly all the brand value dimensions (except for aspirational), an intense smell is more strongly associated with

premium, real and confident. A bitter smell also match with these brand value dimensions.

In contrast, the aspirational and accessible brand value dimensions domatch with subtle, fruity,

floral and sweet smells. The aspirational brand value dimension do not match well with a bitter

smell. Remarkable is the finding that the accessible brand value dimension is associated with both

subtle and intense smell. However, this last relationship is slightly weaker.

A congruent product experience might reinforce the brand image or vice versa. However, like discussed earlier, it is hard to apply primary product attributes of food and beverages directly in packaging. The identification of relationships between the brand values and tactile and auditive

57 stimuli in this study suggest that these sensory stimuli are more appropriate to function as

secondary product attributes.

3.4.3.3. Touching brands

A number of associations are identified between the brand value dimensions and aspects of touch. The tactile stimulus weight turned out to play an important role, because it is related to nearly all the brand value dimensions, except for unique. A heavier weight matches with the brand value dimensions premium, real and confident. In contrast, a lighter weight matches with the brand value dimensions aspirational and accessible. According to literature (Lindstrom, 2005; Piqueras-Fiszman & Spence, 2011) a heavier weighting bottle should be associated with higher product quality and a lighter weighting bottle should be associated with lower quality.

In addition, the premium, real and confident brand value dimensions turned out to match with

firm material and mismatch with flimsy material. Especially for premium this was expected, because also firmness is a tactile sensation associated with high quality, while flimsiness is associated with low quality (Krishna & Morrin, 2008).

Another remarkable finding is that there was no significant correlation identified between the brand value dimension confident and roughness. Based on earlier research of Krishna, Elder & Carrera (2010) was expected that rough material should be associated with these ´masculine´ brand values. Only the unique brand value dimension is associated with a smooth bottle texture.

3.4.3.4. How a brand sounds

The brand value dimensions are also associated with several auditive stimuli. Especially interesting are the relationships found between the brand value dimensions and the opening sounds. The brand value dimensions premium, real and confident match a loud opening sound. In contrast, the brand value dimension aspirational match with a quiet opening sound. In addition, the brand value dimensions premium, confident and unique match with a strong carbonating opening sound. Premium and confident may match with a more voluminous opening sound, because the product is more prominent presented, while the aspirational brand may match with a somewhat more unobtrusive, but refined sound.

The brand value dimensions aspirational and accessible match with brand names sounding like

Frish. Such high frequency words are associated with friendly objects which is in line with the brand value dimension accessible, and with fast objects which corresponds with the brand value dimension aspirational (Klink, 2000; Paris & Spence, 2009; Spence, 2012; Walker & Smith, 1985). The brand value dimension real is associated with the low frequency brand names Frosh and

Maluma. These sounds are related to a rich product (Yorkston & Menon, 2004; Spence & Gallace, 2011).

58  This study revealed the semantic associative networks of beer consumers which

demonstrated that consumers perceive certain sensory stimuli as matching and other sensory stimuli as mismatching with beer brand values.

 Consumers match specific beer brands with specific beer flavours, the primary product attributes of beer.

 Tactile and auditive stimuli match with certain brand values which makes these sensory stimuli appropriate to serve as secondary product attributes in multisensory beer bottle design.