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Blood is not only thicker than water, it also appears to be stronger than coupons, celebrity endorsements and other product marketing devices.

A study by marketing faculty Elizabeth S. Moore and William L. Wilkie along with a colleague at the University of Florida found that mothers pass down powerful preferences to their daughters for certain brand-name products.

The researchers separately surveyed about 100 mothers and their college-age daughters to see which brands of household products they most preferred to purchase. The matches were then adjusted to see which items were popular beyond what their market share would predict. The following are the products that appeared to benefit most from what the researchers term "intergenerational influences":

Campbell's soup

Heinz ketchup

Kleenex, Puffs facial tissue

Mueller, Ronzoni boxed pasta

Newman's Own, Ragu, Prego spaghetti sauce

Crest, Colgate toothpaste

Bumble Bee, Starkist tuna

Tide laundry detergent

Lipton tea

Dawn, Sunlight, Ivory dish liquid

Tylenol, Advil pain reliever

Dial, Lever 2000 bar soap

Kraft salad dressing

Bounty paper towels

Minute Maid frozen juice

Lubriderm lotion

Folgers, Maxwell House coffee

Snickers candy bars

Fantastik household cleaner

The marketing experts reported their findings in the article "Passing the Torch: Intergenerational Influences as a Source of Brand Equity" in the April 2002 Journal of Marketing.

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