在日常生活中的任何人、事、物，皆需憑藉五種感官去體驗與儲存記憶，但目前企業在傳遞其品牌形象時，大多只用五種感官中的視覺與聽覺來與消費者溝通。本研究的目的為瞭解企業傳遞給消費者何種味覺感知，透過關聯規則法與味覺地圖模型的互相配合，挖掘出各產品本身的味覺特性，並了解此產品味覺特性如何去強化品牌形象。本研究以學生為受測對象，有效樣本數共計246名，受測產品為卡布奇諾口味的咖啡，受測品牌為五個在台灣具代表性的咖啡品牌，分別是星巴克、85度C、伯朗咖啡、CITY CAFE，以及麥當勞，受測對象分別接受盲眼與揭露品牌兩階段味覺測試，藉由勾選從咖啡中感知到的味覺形容詞，評比各品牌咖啡內涵的味覺特質。 根據本研究結果顯示，85度C在兩階段味覺測試中皆得到最高的評價，星巴克與CITY CAFE此兩個品牌形象較高者，其咖啡在揭露品牌後的評價都有所提高，而各品牌咖啡都擁有相同的味覺關聯規則「微酸的 -> 微苦的」，顯示咖啡擁有「微酸中帶點些微的苦味」此一味覺特質，此外，在受測者普遍偏好甜味與鮮味的情況下，當產品品牌擁有的甜味與鮮味形容詞關聯規則強度越高時，會得到越高的味道評價，且當受測者在知曉產品品牌為品牌形象較高者時，會提高對於偏好味道的味覺感知。 Human beings usually use five senses to experience and memorize things in their daily life. However, most companies use only sight and hearing to transmit their brand image nowadays. This research aims to investigate what taste perception that product brands delivered to their customers. By combining association rule and taste model, this study attempts to discover taste characteristics of the product brand, as well as how these taste characteristics can help companies improve and enhance brand image. This study tested 246 student participants for five famous coffee brands in Taiwan, which are Starbucks, 85°C, Mr. Brown, CITY CAFE, and McDonald. Each participant took blind and non-blind tests separately. By choosing the adjective sensed from coffee, this research collected the taste characteristics of each brand from participants. The results reveal that 85°C has high evaluation in both blind and non-blind tests and prove brand image apparently increases the evaluation of coffee with a famous brand (e.g., Starbucks and CITY CAFE). This study discovered all coffee brands have a same rule “Sourish -> Bitterish”, which means coffee is normally tasted a little sour and bitter. Besides, participants prefer sweet and umami have higher evaluation of a product brand. Participants gave higher evaluation when they knew the coffee is a famous brand.
