Posted by Rita Mu
The Product of the Year Awards, which is based on an independent consumer survey completed by more than 5000 shoppers, have been launched – with entries opening Monday 18 April.
To be eligible for entry, products must launch between January 2010 and August 2011 and be either a completely new type of product or a useful innovation to an existing product or brand, such as a new ingredient, redesigned shape or size, new formula, or new packaging.
“Following a successful second year of the awards program in 2010, Product of the Year is building its profile as a valuable marketing tool helping winners set themselves apart from their competition in the eyes of the consumer,” said Sarah Connelly, the Director of Product of the Year Australia.
“Previous award winners from around the world have benefited from average sales increases of around 10-15 per cent after using the Product of the Year logo on their packaging, promotions and advertising, which they’re able to do for 12 months following their win.”
In 2010 winners were chosen from 21 categories, up from 17 the year before, including Food and Beverage, Packaged Goods, Beauty, Pet Care, Cleaning and Adult Medicine.
Winners in the packaging category last year including Dettol’s No-Touch hand washing system, Berocca Performance with its Twist N Go bottle, Airwick Aqua Mist with its unique trigger and Finish Quantum with a dissolvable capsule that doesn’t need to be unwrapped. The Organic Bubs baby food pouches also resonated with the consumer, as did the new Cadbury block packaging.
Categories in 2012 will be finalised once entries close on August 2nd.
All entrants will be judged and vetted by a ‘jury’ of industry experts representing retailers, media, consumer researchers and journalists. They will determine whether each meets the key criteria of the program and can then be submitted for judging in the 5,000-strong consumer survey by global research group TNS.
More information on the Product of the Year Awards is available here.