Consumer & retail·Brand and ad feedback
What people actually took away from your ad
Campaign data shows your click-through rate. It can't tell you what people remembered from your ad, or what they got wrong.
How one study led to change
The challenge
Ads for a new yogurt flavor led with "low sugar." After launch, breakfast sales came in below expectations.
How the study ran
Target consumers watched the ad and retold it in their own words. The AI then followed up on when they usually have yogurt and what they look for when buying.
What we found
Breakfast drinkers cared more about sweetness; snackers barely mentioned it
What changed
The ad added a breakfast scene and put "not too sweet" ahead of "low sugar."
Low-sugar yogurt ad: what consumers remembered
Consumers remembered "low sugar" but didn't think of breakfast. Put a breakfast scene in the ad and say "not too sweet" before "low sugar."
Key findings
- 64%Breakfast drinkers cared more about sweetness; snackers barely mentioned it
- 51%"Low sugar" stuck, but most people didn't connect it with breakfast
- 29%Parents wanted to know whether kids can drink it, and the ad didn't say
Recommended actions
- 1Add a breakfast scene to the ad
- 2Put "not too sweet" before "low sugar"
- 3Show sugar content and guidance for kids on the pack and product page
About this study: method · sample · limitations
Method
Participants watched a 30-second ad and retold it in their own words. The AI then followed up on when they drink yogurt and what worries them. 9 minutes on average.
Sample
80 target consumers who bought yogurt in the past three months: 34 office workers, 26 household shoppers, 20 fitness-focused buyers.
Limitations
Only one ad was tested, with no competitor ads for comparison. Recall was captured minutes after viewing, so it doesn't reflect recall long after a campaign.
Breakfast drinkers cared more about sweetness; snackers barely mentioned it
"I have it as an afternoon snack, so a bit of sweetness is fine."
Participant 170 · Office worker · 01:20"Low sugar" stuck, but most people didn't connect it with breakfast
"I drink it in the morning, and seeing 'low sugar' actually makes me feel better about it."
Participant 181 · Fitness enthusiast · 01:35Parents wanted to know whether kids can drink it, and the ad didn't say
"I don't give my kids yogurt, so I didn't notice."
Participant 190 · Household shopper · 01:10Each recommendation maps to a finding. After it ships, check the metric on the right to see whether the finding holds.
| Recommendation | Based on | Expected impact | Validation metric | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Add a breakfast scene to the ad | 41 remembered low sugar but didn't think of breakfast | Breakfast-time sales | In progressBreakfast-time sales +12% | |
| 2Put "not too sweet" before "low sugar" | Breakfast drinkers care most about sweetness | Ad recall accuracy, repeat purchase rate | ConfirmedAd recall accuracy 38% → 66% | |
| 3Show sugar content and guidance for kids on the pack and product page | Answers parents' top question | Repeat purchase rate, household shoppers | Not live yet |
How many of the 80 participants mentioned each theme (one person can mention several). Darker cells mean a higher share within that group.
| Theme | Total | Office workers34 people | Household shoppers26 | Fitness-focused20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Too sweet, too heavy | 52 | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| Pairing with breakfast | 41 | 22 | 14 | 5 |
| Low sugar and health | 40 | 12 | 10 | 18 |
| Whether kids can have it | 23 | 2 | 20 | 1 |
| Pricing | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
Breakfast drinkers cared more about sweetness; snackers barely mentioned it
Something that sweet first thing in the morning is too much. As an afternoon snack it's fine though.
I give it to my kid for breakfast. All that sugar makes me nervous.
The bread's already sweet, so I don't want sweet yogurt with it too.
I have it as an afternoon snack, so a bit of sweetness is fine.
"Low sugar" stuck, but most people didn't connect it with breakfast
The ad kept saying low sugar, but I never thought about having it in the morning.
The visuals look like it's something you drink after the gym.
I drink it in the morning, and seeing 'low sugar' actually makes me feel better about it.
Parents wanted to know whether kids can drink it, and the ad didn't say
How low is low sugar? Is it OK for my kid to have it every day?
I don't give my kids yogurt, so I didn't notice.
Something that sweet first thing in the morning is too much. As an afternoon snack it's fine though.
I give it to my kid for breakfast. All that sugar makes me nervous.
The bread's already sweet, so I don't want sweet yogurt with it too.
The ad kept saying low sugar, but I never thought about having it in the morning.
The visuals look like it's something you drink after the gym.
How low is low sugar? Is it OK for my kid to have it every day?
I have it as an afternoon snack, so a bit of sweetness is fine.
I drink it in the morning, and seeing 'low sugar' actually makes me feel better about it.
I don't give my kids yogurt, so I didn't notice.
Interview guide
Why they bought
Core questionWhy did you first buy this yogurt?
Follow-upWhere they saw it, what they compared it to
When they have it
Core questionWhen do you usually have it?
Follow-upWalk me through the last time
Taste and texture
Core questionDid it taste the way you expected?
Follow-upWhat was different
Why they stopped
Core questionWhy didn't you buy it again?
Follow-upWhat they buy now
Participants
80 target consumers who bought yogurt in the past three months: 34 office workers, 26 household shoppers, 20 fitness-focused buyers.
This section needs behavior data (for example, from ThinkingAI Agentic Engine). Without it, the rest of the report works as usual.
What they said
"I buy this yogurt all the time."176
What the behavior data shows
Bought this yogurt only once in the last 90 days; the other 5 purchases were a sugar-free option.
What they said
"Low sugar is the first thing I look for in yogurt."184
What the behavior data shows
Over half of their purchases in the past six months were full-sugar flavors.
For 14 of 80 participants, what they said didn't match their purchase history. Most gaps were about how much "low sugar" matters to them.
heari capabilities used in this study
Ad embedded in the interview guide
The interview guide plays the 30-second ad, then asks participants to retell it in their own words.
Retell first, then follow up
Based on each retelling, the AI asks what they remembered, what they misread, and when they usually have yogurt.
Remembered vs. misunderstood
The report lists what was remembered and what was misunderstood side by side, each backed by quotes.
Check breakfast-time sales
Once the new ad runs, compare breakfast-time sales and repeat purchases to see whether the change worked.
Research examples from other industries
What's behind low NPS scores
Why users don't pay
Who your users really are
How to pick a lead selling point before launch
Before your next ad runs, hear how people take it in
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