The Effects of Receptacle on the Expected Flavor of a Colored Beverage: Cross-Cultural Comparison Among French, Japanese, and Norwegian Consumers

摘要

The present online study was designed to investigate whether the expected flavor associated with a colored beverage is affected by the type of receptacle in which the drink is presented. More than 400 participants from France, Japan and Norway viewed photographs of red, green, yellow, blue, orange, brown and clear beverages presented in a water glass, a wine glass, a cocktail glass or a plastic cup. They had to indicate the first flavor that came to mind by choosing a flavor from a list of 24 options, and to rate the familiarity and pleasantness of each drink. The results revealed that the nature of the receptacle modulated the meaning (expected flavor) of color for the red, green, yellow, blue and orange drinks. Cultural differences were observed in terms of the expected flavor elicited by the blue drinks, as well as how different receptacles influenced the familiarity and pleasantness ratings of the same drinks.