Sparkling or still: It depends on the brand name

Nanyang Business School’s Rym Tazi and Gemma Calvert and University of Dundee’s Abhishek Pathak examine how carbonated drink brands can use sound symbolism to stand out from the competition.

This paper describes how specific speech sounds in a brand name can be manipulated to enhance the perceived carbonation level of beverages and is based on the article “Spiky sounds sparkling: How voiceless consonants present in the brand name of a beverage are more appropriate in conveying its carbonation strength”.

The rise of carbonated drinks

In 2020, the global carbonated soft drinks market was estimated to be worth US$221.8 billionand is projected to gain even more traction over the coming years. With demand being driven primarily by the health-conscious younger generation, new beverages are increasingly...

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