Don’t be surprised to see little red “Product of the Year” stamps of approval on products like Majesta Bathroom Tissue and Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale on store shelves this year.
At its first annual awards ceremony in Toronto last night, Product of the Year Canada unveiled the country’s 11 most innovative products as chosen by consumers.
Product of the Year Canada teamed up with global research firm TNS Canadian Facts to gather the thoughts and opinions of the more than 12,000 Canadian consumers. Those consumers voted on a variety of categories including skin care, pet food, hair care, beverages and household cleaners, and ultimately selected this year’s winners. They are:
• Axe Shampoos & Conditioner (Unilever)
• Baileys with a Hint of Coffee (Diageo Canada)
• BlueWater Potato Crunch Fish Fillets (Bluewater Seafoods Inc.)
• Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale (Canada Dry Mott’s Inc.)
• Dempster’s Healthy Way with ProCardio Recipe Bread (Maple Leaf Foods Inc.)
• Majesta Bathroom Tissue (Irving Tissue)
• Mott’s Fruitsations Harvest Apple + Calcium (Canada Dry Mott’s Inc.)
• Mott’s Fruitsations Pomegranate + Antioxidant (Canada Dry Mott’s Inc.)
• Springfree Trampoline (Springfree Trampoline Inc.)
• V8 V-Fusion (Campbell Company of Canada)
• Vivimind (OVOS Natural Health Inc.)
Last September, a jury of industry executives and journalists voted on each product based on five criteria, with the bottom 20% removed from further consideration. TNS then conducted an online consumer survey to determine the winners.
Ruairi Twomey, marketing director for Diageo Canada, the Canadian manufacturer and distributor of Bailey’s, called the recognition a “proud” moment for the brand.
“Baileys with a Hint of Coffee has won awards all over the world including a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards. This is our first award in Canada… and we are very pleased,” he said.
Winners are entitled to exclusive use of Product of the Year branding on all advertising, point of sale, and communications materials for 12 months following their win (upon payment of a $15,000 licensing fee).
Started in France 23 years ago, this award is now handed out in more than 25 countries, and was launched in the U.S. in 2008 before coming to Canada in 2009.
According to Product of the Year, winners see sales rise by 10-15%. And TNS found that displaying the logo on a package is 51% more effective at generating purchase interest from shoppers than simply displaying the word “New” on a package.
In addition to voting for Product of the Year winners, Canadian consumers weighed in on purchasing behaviors and motivation, attitudes towards innovation, and new product preferences.
Of those surveyed, 86% said they like to try new products, with 93% recommending new products to others if they like them.
Nearly three quarters (73%) of consumers said the package information that sways them most is nutritional information and the list of ingredients.
Three of the top five most important considerations when purchasing new products are health-related. Consumers said they look for new products that are more nutritious, have simple/natural ingredients, and improve health.
