New York, NY (January 22, 2010) Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product
Awards, one of the largest North American consumer survey programs focused on new
product development and innovation, today revealed the programs top winners, along with
research and insights from its companion second annual BrandSpark American Shopper
Study.
Conducted by independent market research firm BrandSpark International, the study surveyed
more than 50,000 consumers and uncovered key findings in the areas of: recessionary shopping
behaviour, healthy eating, future spending priorities, private labels versus premium brands
organic and natural foods, environmental accountability, money-saving strategies, and more.
The study is used to compile the winners of the 2010 Best New Product Awards where consumers
voted upon 135 products, with 42 winners chosen from 55 leading manufacturers.
The Top 2010 Best New Product Award Winners are:
Best in Health & Beauty Category and Best in Show: Olay Professional Pro-X Wrinkle
Protocol
Best in Food & Beverage Category: Yoplait Smoothie
Best in Household Care Category: Cascade Complete All-in-1 Action Pacs
For a complete list of winning products, please visit www.BestNewProductAwards.biz
Better Homes and Gardens and BrandSpark have teamed up once again to bring these
survey results to marketers and help them understand how consumers are behaving in these
unprecedented times, James Carr, Vice President, Group Publisher of Better Homes and
Gardens. We expect these insights to help them make informed decisions on how to reach
and influence todays principal shoppers.
At a January 26th New York breakfast presented by Better Homes and Gardens, Robert Levy,
President and CEO of BrandSpark International and founder of the BNPA will present key
findings on:
Recession Impact More Americans Eating at Home, Not Time Crunched as in
Previous Years
We can see the impact of the recession on attitudes towards the environment and health
with both losing ground in terms of importance, says Levy, even so the vast majority of
Americans (69%) still like trying new products. People have made a big shift to eat at home
more and as a result are spending more time and money in the grocery store. Finding new
products that really deliver is more important than ever, especially with shoppers demanding
greater value for money.
69% of Americans like trying new products.
66% of Americans agree that they enjoy cooking for myself and my family.
Only 23% of Americans agree that they often dont have time to cook.
Only 23% of Americans agree that they would be happy to never have to cook.
Private Label versus Premium Brands
Understandably Americans want more value for their dollar, says Levy, and many are
turning to private label or in-store brands to deliver. Although consumer perception of private
label quality has decreased slightly, more Americans are still buying private label brands
versus premium brands as they perceive they offer extremely good value for money.
59% of Americans think that private label or in-store brand products are just as good
as brand name products
66% of consumers believe that private label brands are usually extremely good value
for money.
56% of Americans have purchased more private label products in the past 12 months
68% of Americans tend to purchase the same brands on a regular basis
Environmental Accountability
Over the past number of years, we have seen environmental accountability grow to be a major
concern for American consumers, says Levy. However, we have also seen the impact of the
economy on environmental attitudes.
77% of Americans still feel that companies are exploiting environmentally friendly
claims for marketing purposes.
Packaging is still one of the top environmental concerns for consumers; 75% believe
that manufacturers still have a long way to go to reduce the amount of packaging.
52% of Americans feel that it is important that a new product is better for the
environment, a decrease from 63% in last years study.
Healthier Options in Food & Beverage
Healthy living is still an important concern for Americans, says Levy. Consumers want
products with added health benefits and they are willing to pay more for products that will
help to prevent illness. One of the most interesting things were seeing is a rising consumer
confidence in food safety.
71% of Americans want products that offer healthier option
60% of consumers are concerned about receiving added health benefits from the
products that they purchase.
61% of consumers say they concerned about food safety, down from 71% last year
The top five health concerns Americans reported:
1. Health Insurance
2. Weight Loss
3. H1N1
4. Diabetes
5. Cancer.
Health Insurance
rose to the top spot this year, up from # 6 in last years study.
79% of Americans believe that there is a lot I can do with food and nutrition to
prevent illness.
Although the debate between natural versus organic products rages on, 50% of American
consumers believe that it is important that a new product is made from all-natural
ingredients and 37% believe that it is more important to me that a product is natural than
organic. Part of this can be explained by consumer skepticism, adds Levy. Among
consumers who did not purchase organic products, 39% stated that they dont trust that all
products labeled as organic are actually organic and stated that they are confused by what
the term organic actually guarantees. It appears that further consumer education is required
in the natural versus organic debate, adds Levy.
What Makes Americans Buy Certain Products?
The BrandSpark American Shopper Study also asks consumers why they make certain
purchases. Following are the top five Purchase Drivers in the three categories the survey
tracks.
Food & Beverage:
1. Taste
2. Price
3. Fresh
4. Looks Appetizing
5. Smells Good
Health & Beauty:
1. Price
2. Proven Effective 3. Simple to Use 4. Trusted Brand
5. Allergy Tested
Household Products:
1. Cleans Thoroughly
2. Price
3. Effective
4. Delivers as Promised
5. Works the First Time
First Annual Global Trends Study
In addition to the BrandSpark American Shopper Study, the company also conducted trend
research in several key global markets including Canada, the U.K., France, Germany,
Australia, Brazil and China. What became clear is that on certain issues, shoppers globally
had similar views, but on many critical issues the views of the shoppers in these countries
differed significantly especially in the areas of the economy, the environment and
confidence, says Levy.
American consumers continue to be concerned about the economy, as 81% feel we are
still in a recession. The majority of consumers in the UK (79%) and France (71%) are
just as concerned about the economy, whereas only 58% of Canadians are concerned
Only 59% of Americans are willing to purchase reusable bags to reduce the amount of
plastic, less than Canada (75%), the UK (85%), Brazil (88%) and even China (92%).
About the Study
Conducted October 12th December 8, 2009, the BrandSpark American Shopper Study
included key questions about individual product appeal, intent to repurchase, consumer
confidence level, expected future spending habits, and a number of other insight provoking
queries. This year, 135 products were evaluated, with 42 winners chosen from 55 leading
manufacturers in categories that included cereal, juice, ice cream, anti aging skin care, oral
care, shampoo and household cleaners. Each category had a minimum of three products from
at least two different manufacturers. In order to win, the product had to have the highest
combined score on re-purchase intent among those who had previously purchased the product
and product appeal.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens
