Product testing: Choosing the right protocol to generate actionable insights RECO#3

In an environment of constant innovation and increasingly subtle consumer trade‑offs, product testing remains a vital tool for guiding launch, optimization, or repositioning decisions.

But not all tests are created equal. A strong protocol is not simply about “asking for a score,” but about creating a test situation that captures the full reality of the consumer experience — in all its sensory, emotional, and contextual complexity. That’s the belief that guides our approach at Repères.

To do so, several dimensions must be rigorously defined from the outset of the study:

• Test location: in‑hall or at home?

• Protocol: monadic or sequential?

• Presentation mode: blind or branded?

• Measurement strategy: beyond rational evaluation?

Each of these options comes with its own strengths, limitations… and potential biases. In this article series, we explore these key methodological choices, how they shape the quality of your insights, and we share Repères’ recommendations drawn from years of field experience and study design expertise.

Reco #3 — Blind vs Branded product tests: are you testing the formula or the full offer?

The question of blind vs branded testing is not just about “with or without pack.” It’s about what you want to measure: the intrinsic performance of the formula, or the overall brand experience.

Blind testing — where the product is stripped of any brand, packaging, or claims — is a classic method in consumer testing. It helps isolate sensory performance and is particularly useful during R&D phases, or when comparing prototypes and competitors objectively.

But in the real market, products are not consumed in a vacuum. They are chosen, expected, and interpreted. Packaging design, brand values, claims (explicit or implicit) — all shape the perceived experience. That’s why we favor branded tests whenever possible: they allow us to assess how well the product delivers on its promise.

Branded testing is especially relevant for strong brands with high consumer expectations. It helps detect potential disappointment, when the product doesn’t live up to its projected image. Conversely, a product may outperform its raw sensory profile if the brand universe creates the right expectations.

Of course, these approaches are not mutually exclusive. We often recommend combining them: blind testing to validate the formula, branded testing to validate the total offer.

At Repères, we don’t just test products. We test experiences — and that makes all the difference.

Discover the other articles in our product testing series:

Reco#1 At‑home vs in‑hall: Where to test for real consumer feedback?

Reco#2 Monadic or sequential: How to structure tests for reliable results?

Reco#4 Measuring what consumers feel… not just what they say

Testing Sweet Products: How to Avoid Bias and Accurately Measure Consumer Acceptability

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