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These days it seems like there’s an award for everything. But for Mark Childs, vice-president of marketing at Toronto-based Campbell Company of Canada, a Product of the Year award stands out because it’s based on input from thousands of consumers.
“We’re very excited to have this win because it’s about Canadian consumers voting; it’s not just an internal ‘What do our industry peers think?’ contest,” Childs explains when asked about Campbell’s win this year for its Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Grahams in the “Dry Snacks” category. “It’s voted on by Canadians who have had a chance to try your product, and they’re excited and impressed by it.”
First launched in France in 1987, Product of the Year competitions now take place in more than 28 countries. The Canadian version debuted in 2009.
The designation aims to help consumers make better shopping decisions by letting them know what other consumers viewed as innovative and worth trying. “From a consumer perspective, the recognizable seal of approval from these consumer-choice awards provides guidance to Canadians faced with so many choices when they shop,” says Sandra Parente, program director for Product of the Year Canada, which is owned by Rogers Media. “The research tells us that 67% of women and 62% of men agreed they would be more likely to try a new product if it was awarded Product of the Year in its category.”
According to Parente, the five phrases used most frequently by survey respondents when describing the products that ended up winning were: “flavour/taste,” “health,” “look/packaging,” “ease/convenience” and “novelty.”
For La Rocca Creative Cakes, winner in the “Home Gourmet” category, this award means a lot, says Ilisa Chacon, the Richmond Hill, Ont.-based company’s director of marketing. “We’re a small, family-owned, family-run company… to have a product like the Dulce Napoleon win this prestigious award, it supports everything we’re doing and makes us very proud.” Chacon is hopeful the win will help boost sales: “I do hope that people who don’t know La Rocca will hear more about us and give our products a try.”
Winners are entitled to exclusive use of Product of the Year branding on advertising, point-of-sale and communication materials (upon payment of a $10,000 licensing fee), as well as a detailed consumer research report for their category.
The Winners
These 14 category winners were announced on April 3 and fêted at an awards ceremony Monday night. Here they are, listed by category.
• Cascades Enviro Ultra (Personal Care)
• Cascades Defensia Dry Antibacterial Hand Towel (Wellness)
• Smirnoff Premium Vodka Mixed Drinks – three flavour variants: Cranberry & Lime, Blueberry & Lemonade and Classic Lemonade (Alcoholic Beverages category)
• Astro BioBest Probiotic Drinkable Yogourt with Plant Sterols (Healthy Choice)
• Astro Original Greek Yogourt (Natural Ingredients)
• Astro Original Yogourt – “Indulgent” yogourt in three new flavours: Caramel, Cappuccino and Lime (Healthy Snacks)
• La Crème Cow de la vache (Dips & Spreads)
• BlueWater Seafoods Simply Bake (Frozen Foods)
• Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Grahams (Dry Snacks)
• Cadbury Pieces – Caramilk Secrets, Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons and Crunchie Clusters (Confectionary)
• La Rocca Creative Cakes’ Dulce Napoleon (Home Gourmet)
• CIBC Petro Points MasterCard (Financial Services)
• Dole Fruit’n Crisp (Microwave Meals)
• Essilor Optifog (Personal Comfort)
