The Best New Product Awards is getting a major boost with a new partnership with Walmart Canada.
The consumer packaged goods awards program, created by marketing and product innovation research company BrandSpark International, signed Walmart on as its exclusive retail partner for 2013. The partnership will promote the 2013 BNPA winners to millions of shoppers across Walmart’s 335 Canadian stores.
The awards program currently has about 50 participating companies, including Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Maple Leaf Foods and Kraft.
Winning products across three categories – Health & Beauty, Food & Beverage and Household Products – are determined by an independent survey of more than 50,000 Canadian shoppers.
“It’s a big win, and what’s really cool about it is Walmart approached us,” said Robert Levy, BNPA founder and president of Toronto-based BrandSpark International. Given the size and scale of the survey and the fact that the awards are completely consumer-voted, “Walmart realized this would be great for their customers, to know more about new products voted best by other Canadian shoppers,” he said.
The partnership will see flyer, online support and in-store promotions for BNPA winners across all award categories in Walmart stores across the country.
“Our customers expect us to carry the newest and greatest products—and we do,” said Emma Fox, Walmart Canada’s senior vice-president of marketing, in a release. “Our partnership with the Best New Product Awards allows us to showcase these items and solidify our role as a destination for innovation.”
Founded in 2003, the Best New Product Awards has since expanded to the U.S., Mexico and Turkey, with further expansion plans in the works for 2013. In Canada, the 2013 awards show will take place April 25 in Toronto.
