Professional Documents
Culture Documents
June 2007
Corporate Woods 6 8900 Indian Creek Parkway, Suite 220 Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 385-1700 www.persuadables.com
Contents
The report is organized into four sections:
Objectives.3
Primary goals of this study
Observations 4
Strategic observations and recommendations by the Analyst
Summary of Findings 6
Key points for presentation and/or group discussion
Detailed Findings..8
Highlights of responses by question
Objectives
Primary goals of this study Determine each of the following Current usage of hot sauce by a nationwide sample of the U.S. population. Influences on the choice of hot sauce brand. Hot sauce brand preference. Willingness to try additional hot sauce brands. Awareness of advertising for hot sauce brands.
Observations
Strategic observations and recommendations by the Analyst Usage of Hot Sauce Use of hot sauce is widespread but not universal. Use increases with age. With two-thirds of respondents indicating they use hot sauce, it is reasonable to assume that the greatest opportunity for brand growth is to capture market share from other brands. Manufacturers can expect to grow their brands by lesser degree through promoting use among the third of respondents who do not use hot sauce. As respondents age, their taste matures, and with it the interest in hot sauce. Hot sauce use peaks among respondents ages 45-54. However, brand preference may be formed years earlier. Marketers need to educate consumers about their brand early, and reinforce it as the years advance.
Influences on Brand Preference 52% of respondents have a favorite brand of hot sauce. This is a high percentage, but suggests a great many respondents are willing to use more than one brand. Flavor is the leading reason for brand preference, not level of hotness. A preferred brand is not necessarily the only brand used by the majority of respondents. There is a high degree if willingness to use or try other brands. Hotness plays a role in brand preference, but flavor is more important. Marketers need to concentrate on how the hot sauce enhances the dining experience, not hotness. Promotion on cooking shows, magazine recipe features and the like that focus on flavor enhancement can be effective.
Brand Preference The leading brand, Tabasco, is preferred by 29% of respondents. The market is populated with a wide variety of national and local brands, preventing the leader from capturing a larger share. A large number of respondents develop a brand preference during childhood. There is a high degree of satisfaction with whatever brand respondents already use or prefer. Use of a brand in the childhood home has a major influence on brand preference later in life. 2008 Persuadable Research Corporation. All rights reserved. 4
Willingness to Try Additional Brands Willingness to try other hot sauce brands is tied directly to availability. Free samples are particularly effective at promoting sampling. Based on the Analysts research experience in consumer packaged goods, brand loyalty for hot sauce is comparably strong to other food types. While many respondents have a preferred brand, few express any reason not to be open to a new experience. Promotion of free or discounted sampling in all venues is highly recommended.
Awareness of Advertising for Hot Sauce Brands Awareness of hot sauce brands is currently built through print advertising, but seldom in electronic media. The majority of respondents indicate that print advertising has little influence on their brand preference. Promotion of hot sauce brands is modest compared to other food brands. The majority of respondents experience hot sauce promotion only through standard retail grocery promotion. Due to relatively small amount of exposure to hot sauce advertising among respondents, it may be possible for a brand to capture a large share of voice with a wellcoordinated multi-media campaign. Due to the importance of flavor in the decision to use a particular brand, any multimedia campaign should include free or discounted sampling to amplify its effectiveness.
Summary of Findings
Key points for presentation and/or group discussion Usage of Hot Sauce Use of hot sauce is widespread but not universal. Use increases with age. More than two-thirds of all respondents use hot sauce. Use of hot sauce varies very little by gender. Among the 32% of respondents who do not use hot sauce, the most frequent reasons for not using hot sauce are dislike of the taste or inability to handle spicy foods. Among respondents who use hot sauce, 75% experiment with hot sauce when cooking or preparing food, and 60% use hot sauce in dips.
Influences on Brand Preference 52% of respondents have a favorite brand of hot sauce. This is a high percentage, but suggests that many respondents are willing to use more than one brand. Flavor is the leading reason for brand preference, not level of hotness. Based on a summary of the top two boxes, important and very important, the vast majority of respondents, 98%, indicate flavor is the primary reason for choice of brand. 71% pay attention to specific types of hot sauce offered in restaurants. 86% will use the hot sauce available in a restaurant if their favorite brand is not offered. Just over half of respondents, 52%, have a favorite brand of hot sauce.
Brand Preference The leading brand, Tabasco, is preferred by 29% of respondents. The market is populated with a wide variety of national and local brands, preventing the leader from capturing a larger share. A large number of respondents develop a brand preference during childhood. The great majority of respondents, 80%, indicate flavor is the reason for making their brand choice a favorite. The largest percentage of respondents, 37%, discovered their favorite brand in the home, using it since childhood. The majority, 71%, would try another brand. On a scale of 1-10, the majority of respondents prefer a heat level of 5-7. 6
Willingness to Try Additional Brands Willingness to try other hot sauce brands is tied directly to availability. Free samples are particularly effective at promoting sampling. Based on a summary of the top two boxes, influential and highly influential, 66% of respondents indicate the greatest influence on choosing or trying a new brand is getting a free sample.
Awareness of Advertising for Hot Sauce Brands Awareness of hot sauce is currently built through retail print advertising. However, the majority of respondents indicate that print advertising has little influence on their brand preference. The majority of respondents are not aware of advertising for hot sauce. Among those who do recall advertising for hot sauce, the largest percentage, 31%, recall print ads. The majority of respondents, 77%, indicate they are not influenced to try a brand after seeing an ad. Females are slightly more receptive to advertising for hot sauce.
Detailed Findings
Highlights of responses by question Respondent Profile Q.2 What state do you live in? 303 total respondents in 36 states. Highest representation in Florida (8%), Texas (8%), and California (7%).
Q.4 Please indicate your gender. More than two-thirds of respondents are female. Male Female
29% 71%
Q.31 Which of the following best represents your pre tax household income? The majority of respondents have pre tax household income between $30,000 and $100,000.
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Q.33 Which of the following best describes your ethnic background? The majority of respondents are White/Caucasian.
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68% 32%
Use of hot sauce correlates directly with age, peaking between ages 45-54. Use of hot sauce is more limited among those ages 18-24. Use of hot sauce varies very little by gender.
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Q.6 Please tell us the reason for not using Hot Sauce. Among the 32% of respondents who do not use hot sauce, the most frequent reasons for not using hot sauce are dislike of the taste or inability to handle spicy foods. Q.7 On what type of food do you use Hot Sauce? The greatest percentage, 60%, uses hot sauce in dips. More than half use hot sauce in BBQ and other recipes. Respondents with a brand preference are slightly more likely to use it on all foods.
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Females are more likely to use hot sauce in dips than are males.
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Respondents with a brand preference are somewhat more likely to use hot sauce on all types of foods.
Q.8 Other - Verbatims The most frequent other use of hot sauce is on eggs, chicken, and chili.
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Q.13 Do you have a preferred brand of Hot Sauce? About half of respondents have a favorite brand of hot sauce. Yes 52% No 48% Males are somewhat more likely to have a preferred brand. Most likely to have a preferred brand are respondents age 64+.
Hot Sauce Brand Preference Q.14 Which of the following is your favorite brand? The most popular brand of hot sauce is Tabasco Sauce, preferred by 29%. Franks RedHot also has a high degree of popularity, preferred by 22%. Males prefer Tabasco Sauce to Franks Red Hot by a ratio of 2 to 1.
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Q.15 Others verbatim summary No other brand names are mentioned more than once.
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Q.17 Other verbatim summary Only three respondents volunteered other reasons. These were the heat, not too hot, and uniqueness.
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Females are much more likely to have learned about their brand through referral from a friend or family member.
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Q.19 Other verbatim summary Eleven respondents volunteered other points of discovery. Eight of these indicate they first saw it in a store. Q.20 Would you try a Hot Sauce other than your favorite brand? The great majority, 71%, would try another brand. There is little difference, if any, between the willingness of males and females to try another brand.
Q.21 Please slide the scale below to indicate your preference of heat level for Hot Sauce? On a scale of 1-10, the majority of respondents prefer a heat level of 5-7. Males are more likely to prefer their sauce very hot than are females. Those preferring low heat level are more likely to have a specific brand preference.
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Awareness of Advertising for Hot Sauce Brands Q.26 When was the last time you came across an advertisement for Hot Sauce? The majority of respondents are not aware of advertising for hot sauce.
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Q.28 How likely were you to try the Hot Sauce as a result of the advertisement? The great majority of respondents, 77%, indicate they are not influenced to try a brand after seeing an ad.
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Corporate Woods 6 8900 Indian Creek Parkway, Suite 220 Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 385-1700 www.persuadables.com