The Journal for Sensory Studies (July 2012) reported the color of the cup matters in terms of how we perceive the taste. In interviews with Roberto A Ferdman, Washington Post, the authors of the study said:
“Coffee-drinkers tended to experience the same cup of coffee differently depending on the color of the glassware they drank it from. We found a particularly significant difference between the white mug and the clear one.” Specifically, the white mug was associated with a more “intense” (or bitter) tasting cup of coffee, and the clear glass mug was not.
Good coffee is important to me and I have always had a strong preference for drinking from a glass cup. In fact, I have one in front of me at the moment.
I have spent much of my career helping people close the gap between perception and reality. I would not have guessed there was a statistically significant difference in taste of coffee based on the color of the mug its served in. These results are a strong reminder that … perception is reality to us. It is extremely true for personal relationships and for company brands. By definition we are unaware of our misperceptions. Once we learn about the gaps … they are easier to identify and make adjustments.
I am committed to letting every cup of coffee remind me that perception is reality … and I like glass cups for my coffee!
Links to the Washington Post Article and Journal of Senory Studies
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