Tasting colours, seeing sound and hearing smells. These are just three of up to 60 known forms of ‘synaesthesia’: a neurological phenomenon approximately five percent of the population is born with. And although synaesthesia is sometimes branded a ‘medical condition’ or an ‘aberration’, it is primarily a gift that inspires. 

Famous synaesthetes

Most of us taste what they taste, hear what they hear and see what they see. To Pharrell Williams, Billie Eilish and Vincent Van Gogh, reality is or was somewhat different. They have (or had) synaesthesia: a difficult word describing a neurological phenomenon occurring in people whose cognitive pathways are different. As a result, one sensory perception involuntarily also stimulates sensory perception in a second of their five senses. Take Annie for instance…

What taste sounds the best?

Annie can taste sound. That is why Wunderman Thompson enlisted her help for a surprising social media campaign. Light & Free wanted to let Millenials choose between three new flavours. But how do you let your consumers choose between flavours they can’t sample? Annie was given the challenge to translate the three flavours into audio taste samples with the assistance of a composer and a musician. Based on these samples consumers can vote the tastiest sounding flavour straight onto the shop shelf. Watch the mini documentary about the sound of flavors here.

Express yourself

The challenge Annie took up is entirely in line with the Light & Free brand promise. The brand aims to give all millennials the opportunity to truly express themselves. With a complete disregard of what anyone may think. Express yourself is an appeal to be yourself even if you’re different.

Click here to sample the audio fragments yourself and cast your vote.