Hertaste Research Services

Demand forecasting for design-driven industries

How to interpret results

Taken from hertaste.com sunglasses ratings, July 2009


		Top Rated •Word of mouth travels •the furthest and loudest •Broader age range •Highest premiums








		Mixed Response •Word of mouth travels •loud but not as far •Narrower age range •Moderate premiums







		Lowest Rated •Word of mouth likely to •dillute brand equity •Might be too early •Often require deep •discounts

How to interpret results:

Products on our consumer website, www.hertaste.com, are a sample of how our panelists evaluate designs. While the data is not from a screened panel, the output is very similar to what you will see in a paid research study.

Top rated products tend to produce a very high acceptance among diverse groups of influencers. These products trigger excitement that generates word of mouth marketing. This marketing travels the furthest and the loudest since there are very few influencers preventing the transmission of the message from group to group.

The mixed response products (products that rate below the highest and above the lowest rated) trigger excitement in some women; but there are also a high percentage of influencers who dislike the designs. This means that the product will attract a following, but there are a significant percentage of influential women likely to block the message from transmitting from group to group. These designs tend to be a better fit for younger consumers who can afford to take more risks.

The lowest rated designs tend to require the steepest discounts and dilute brand equity.

We suggest branding to the older end of your demographic with only the first set of top rated products. Branding to younger demographics is better accomplished with a combination of top rated and mixed response designs.