Selective Perception in Action: What Your Brand’s ‘Tomato Sauce’ Moment Reveals

Shah Mohammed
6 min readSep 11, 2024

Imagine walking through a bustling farmer’s market. The vibrant colors of fresh produce catch your eye, the aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through the air, and the chatter of vendors and shoppers creates a lively atmosphere. Now, picture two people standing side by side, taking in this same scene. One is a professional chef, the other a fitness enthusiast. Despite being in the same environment, their experiences are vastly different.

The chef’s eyes light up at the sight of heirloom tomatoes, envisioning the perfect sauce for tonight’s special. Meanwhile, the fitness buff is drawn to the protein-packed quinoa and lean cuts of meat. This scenario illustrates a fundamental aspect of human psychology: selective perception. We don’t just see the world as it is; we see it as we are.

In the realm of branding and marketing, understanding selective perception can be a game-changer. It’s not just about what your brand offers, but how your audience perceives it. This blog post will explore the concept of selective perception and how it applies to your brand, using the famous “tomato sauce” moment as a springboard for discussion.

The Tomato Sauce Revolution: A Lesson in Perception

Before we dive deeper, let’s revisit the “tomato sauce” moment that shook the food industry and provides a perfect metaphor for our discussion on selective perception.

In the 1980s, Howard Moskowitz, a psychophysicist and market researcher, was tasked with finding the perfect spaghetti sauce for Prego. The conventional wisdom at the time was that there was one ideal version of any given product that would appeal to the majority of consumers. Moskowitz’s research, however, led to a groundbreaking revelation: there is no perfect spaghetti sauce; there are only perfect spaghetti sauces.

Through extensive testing, Moskowitz discovered that people’s preferences for spaghetti sauce fell into three main clusters: plain, spicy, and extra-chunky. The most significant finding was the demand for extra-chunky sauce, a product that didn’t exist in the market at that time. By introducing extra-chunky sauce, Prego not only increased its market share but also created a new category that generated $600 million in sales over the next decade.

This “tomato sauce” moment exemplifies how different segments of consumers selectively perceive and value different aspects of a product. It’s not that one type of sauce is objectively better than another; it’s that different sauces appeal to different people based on their individual preferences, experiences, and needs.

Selective Perception: The Lens Through Which Customers See Your Brand

Selective perception is the tendency for people to perceive what they want to perceive. It’s a cognitive bias that causes individuals to focus on certain aspects of a stimulus while ignoring others. In the context of branding, this means that different customers will notice, remember, and value different aspects of your brand based on their own needs, experiences, and preferences.

Consider the example of a luxury car brand like BMW. A business executive might perceive the brand as a symbol of success and professional achievement. An auto enthusiast might focus on the engineering prowess and performance capabilities. A parent might be drawn to the safety features and spacious interiors. Each of these consumers is selectively perceiving different aspects of the same brand.

This selective perception extends beyond just the product itself. It influences how customers interpret your marketing messages, how they interact with your brand, and ultimately, how they make purchasing decisions.

Finding Your Brand’s ‘Tomato Sauce’ Moment

So, how can you uncover your brand’s ‘tomato sauce’ moment? Here are some strategies to help you tap into the power of selective perception:

  1. Embrace Diversity in Your Offerings: Just as Prego discovered the untapped market for extra-chunky sauce, your brand might be missing out on potential customer segments by offering a one-size-fits-all solution. Consider how you can diversify your product line or messaging to appeal to different perceptions and preferences. Example: Coca-Cola’s portfolio includes not just different flavors, but entirely different brands like Sprite, Fanta, and Minute Maid, each appealing to different taste preferences and occasions.
  2. Conduct In-Depth Market Research: Don’t assume you know what your customers want. Engage in thorough market research to understand the various ways different segments perceive your brand and products. Example: When Airbnb noticed that many users were booking stays for business travel, they conducted extensive research to understand the needs of this segment. This led to the creation of Airbnb for Work, catering specifically to business travelers’ perceptions of what makes a good accommodation.
  3. Listen to the Outliers: Sometimes, the most valuable insights come from the fringes. Pay attention to unusual use cases or unexpected feedback about your product. Example: Play-Doh was originally created as a wallpaper cleaner. It was only when the company noticed that teachers were using it as a modeling compound for arts and crafts that they repositioned the product, leading to its iconic status as a children’s toy.
  4. Create Personalized Experiences: Use data and technology to create personalized experiences that cater to individual perceptions and preferences. Example: Netflix’s recommendation algorithm is designed to understand each user’s unique viewing preferences, effectively creating a personalized streaming service for each subscriber.
  5. Tell Multiple Stories: Instead of pushing a single brand narrative, develop multiple storylines that can resonate with different segments of your audience. Example: Nike’s advertising doesn’t just focus on professional athletes. They tell stories of everyday people overcoming obstacles, appealing to a wide range of consumers who selectively perceive different aspects of the “Just Do It” ethos.

The Risks of Ignoring Selective Perception

Failing to account for selective perception can lead to missed opportunities and potential brand crises. Here are a couple of cautionary tales:

  1. Bic for Her: When Bic launched pens specifically marketed towards women, they faced significant backlash. While they might have intended to cater to a specific market segment, many consumers perceived the product as patronizing and unnecessary. This shows how a misunderstanding of how your target audience perceives your brand and products can lead to marketing missteps.
  2. New Coke: In 1985, Coca-Cola changed its formula and launched “New Coke” in response to Pepsi’s rising market share. However, they underestimated how consumers perceived the original Coke as more than just a beverage — it was an American icon. The backlash was so severe that Coca-Cola had to reintroduce the original formula as “Coca-Cola Classic” just 79 days later.

Conclusion

Your brand’s ‘tomato sauce’ moment is waiting to be discovered. It’s that pivotal insight that reveals how different segments of your audience selectively perceive and value your brand in unique ways. By embracing this diversity of perception, you can create more targeted, resonant, and successful branding and marketing strategies.

Remember, there’s no single perfect version of your brand that will appeal to everyone. Instead, there are perfect versions for different segments of your audience. By understanding and leveraging selective perception, you can create a brand that speaks to the diverse needs, preferences, and perceptions of your entire customer base.

In the end, the goal isn’t to change how people perceive your brand, but to understand these perceptions and align your offerings accordingly. After all, in the world of branding, perception isn’t just reality — it’s opportunity.

--

--

No responses yet