THE PSYCHOLOGY
OF CHOICE
Some matters of taste are set in stone. Dogs rule, cats drool. Purple
and green should never be seen. But when it comes to what we drink,
Kiwis’ tastes change like traffic lights, says the team at Coca-Cola.
Using a groundbreaking New
54 MAY 2018
Zealand innovation (Needscope)
that matches our choices to
emotions rather than fixed
demographics, the team at Coca-Cola has
discovered what makes us tick when we’re
in front of the fridge.
The truth is, we’re a fickle bunch. While
water is the drink of choice for many,
almost nobody drinks water all the time,
no matter how health-conscious they are.
“We are hard-wired not to do without,”
says Coca-Cola knowledge and insights
manager Carl Edkins. “We often don’t
want to make compromises.”
Just like some people’s voices change
when they pick up the phone or visit their
elderly grandmother, different situations
and emotions change our taste every
moment of every day.
Instead of the traditional marketing demographics,
which put us in rigid boxes
like ‘household spender aged 25-34’, or
‘male, married with two kids, over 40’, our
drinks choices can be roughly divided into
six emotion-driven flavours: vibrancy, affiliation,
tranquillity, composure, superiority
and bravado.
Kiwis make around eight drinks choices a
day based on our moods, whether we’re
feeling insecure and need to show our
superior taste (think a sophisticated drink
like a Schweppes tonic water and mixer),
or we’re at a beach party and we’re in
the moment (something fizzy, fruity
and calories be damned). The next
morning, we may well be reaching
for that soothing glass of water,
as the guilt hits.
“You need to have an option
available for each one of
these needs when you
walk into a store,”
Edkins says.
And our options
are set to expand.
While Kiwis are
spoilt for choice
when it comes
to drinks that
tempt our
risk-taking
love of adventure
(our bravado emotion), such as energy
drinks, sports drinks and bottled water for
hardcore fitness enthusiasts, we’re behind
the Aussies when it comes to drinks that
show our superior discernment.
As our population boom opens the door to
niche products – and as more of us leave
the age of mountain-running on weekends
– Edkins says New Zealanders can expect
more exotic choices that set us apart from
the usual soft-drink crowd. In the future,
we’ll be choosing more natural ingredients
like stevia, or anything that screams
‘individual’.
Think iced coffee with the latest miracle
spice or goats’ milk infused with wild
orchid – although on a hot day, of course,
nothing’s going to beat an ice-cold Coke.
The Six Taste Moods
Vibrancy – That feeling of being alive. It’s
tangy, it’s fizzy. It has an umbrella in it.
Drink match – sparkling white sangria.
Affiliation – Feeling part of a group. It’s
what everyone else is drinking. Drink
match – Coke, beer.
Tranquility – Relaxation time. It’s like a
hug in a mug. Drink match – herbal tea, hot
chocolate.
Composure – When you want to be in
control of your emotions. It’s good for you.
Drink match – water.
Superiority – You want something that
makes you feel like a boss. It’s an acquired
taste. Drink match – elderflower and cucumber,
Campari and soda.
Bravado – Wahoooooooooo!! A bottle
could power a small mountain kingdom.
Drink match – Powerade, Demon Energy
About Needscope
• Consumer research and brand planning
system
• Developed in New Zealand in the late 1990s
• More than 8000 studies in 80+ countries and
countless markets.
our drinks choices
can be roughly
divided into six
emotion-driven
flavours: vibrancy,
affiliation,
tranquility,
composure,
superiority and
bravado.