Ugly Xmas Sweater A/B Test

We took two equally tacky, ugly Christmas sweaters and wore them to various events this holiday season.

Both sweaters were worn by randomly sampled individuals with similar levels of popularity to prevent the “cool guy” effect invalidating our data. We tested these sweaters over numerous events and monitored interactions over one 24-hour period at work. Both sweaters excelled in certain categories, but below details individual takeaways.

Key Takeaways

1. Sweater A received 35% more hugs

The warm, inviting sweater created a significant lift in hugs throughout the duration of the test.

2. Both sweaters dramatically increased embarrassment.

Sweater A and Sweater B saw nearly equal amounts of verbal jabs, bad jokes and playful mocking as they made their rounds at holiday gatherings.

Sweater B left wearers 40% cooler and less itchy.

The lightweight sweater left wearers cooler and much less itchy than its sweater competitor. Wearers were more likely to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, but were much more uncomfortable when we repeatedly pelted them with snowballs.

Conclusion

Results, while directional, have yet to show adequate significance levels to be 100% conclusive. We will remain vigilant and continue to test until early January 2015.

In the meanwhile, our recommendation is…

Enjoy the Holidays and have a Happy New Year!