The Icing on the Cake: From a Market Research Perspective
Two years ago, the Delish Instagram account posted this picture and asked which piece of cake is superior. They received thousands of comments, but most respondents chose the piece of cake depending on their icing preferences.
I polled my fellow employees at LMD and asked which piece of cake in the photo was superior and why. Here are the results:
Five people selected option A and shared that they enjoy the sweet variety, the clumpy edge icing, and the occasional crisp edge texture.
Three people chose option B, highlighting the ideal balance between cake and icing, emphasizing that the icing must be well-made and not overly sweet.
Three people selected option C, noting that it offers the perfect icing-to-cake ratio.
Seven people chose option D, preferring its minimal icing, a balanced icing-to-cake ratio, moist center, and lack of clumpy edge icing. One person chose option D specifically because it has the fewest sprinkles, which they mentioned they do not like.
As a market research analyst, I noticed a few unmentioned features of the cake:
There was no discussion regarding the cake’s flavor—no one indicated whether their choice depended on whether it was a yellow cake, a lemon cake, or another specific type.
No one referenced the icing flavor, leaving me to wonder whether white buttercream would be preferred over a vanilla whipped cream topping or a cream cheese frosting.
How did no one mention the difference in sizes? Not a single comment about the middle pieces being noticeably smaller than the outer ones!
Hello?! Did we forget about the corner piece? It has extra icing and can be less messy to hold.
Why didn’t my colleagues ask if they could choose a piece of cake that was not assigned a letter? There were no definitive directions that one had to choose a letter. Personally, I would have chosen that luscious piece to the left of D.
Marketing Like Cake: The LMD Approach
At LMD, our marketing team approaches every client project with care, balance, and purpose–the same way we approach selecting a good slice of cake.
We begin with the cake tray—your foundation. It needs to be durable and steady, just like your brand infrastructure. We add a dollop of frosting to secure the base layer and anchor the cake. It may seem like a small detail, but without that dollop of frosting, your cake (or brand) risks becoming unstable or collapsing.
Next comes the cake itself—your brand. It must be well-baked, solid, and satisfying on its own. Even if you choose to go frosting-free, your core offering should still impress.
But let’s be honest—we always recommend frosting. Why? Because frosting is your marketing. It adds flavor, draws people in, and makes your brand memorable. Still, the key is balance:
Too much frosting, and the message overwhelms the product.
Too little, and you risk leaving people underwhelmed.
At LMD, we help you find that just-right layer of sweetness that makes your brand stand out—without ever losing sight of what makes it great to begin with. Ready to bake? We can help!
