Consumer trends in the floriculture market indicate that there is a need to introduce young adults ages 18-25 to floral products. There is an industry need to examine this audience segment, commonly referred to as “generation Y”, not only in terms of buying trends but also to determine what factors influence their purchasing and retail shopping behavior.
The purpose of this project is to look at the relationship of two of the most important floral characteristics, fragrance and color, in order to determine the most appealing combination for young adults, as well as assess how important flower fragrance is for these consumers.
METHODS/MATERIALS
An innovation of this project was the use of facial recognition software. Facial recognition software uses computer algorithms and facial modeling to analyze facial expression on the basis of six expressive states ranging from “happy” to “sad.” These states combine to create a measure of emotional response, called hedonic response.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The American Floral Endowment/University of Florida, Gainesville