Our EVP Julie Hall teamed up with Chief Behavioral Scientist of Sentient Decision Science Aaron Reid to share the results of the 2012 Most Memorable New Product Launch survey in a Google+ Hangout On Air. Since 2001, SA and Sentient Decision Science have conducted the survey to learn which product launches make lasting impressions with consumers and find key trend data on which marketing tactics are the most influential, where consumers are learning about new products and what product attributes are the most desirable. Here are some of the key takeaways from the hangout:
1.Avoid launching a new product during an election year: Sixty-seven percent (67%) of consumers surveyed could not recall a single new product launched in 2012. This is the second lowest recall rate of the decade, trumped only by the 69% unable to recall a new product launch in 2008—another election year. Repeated low recall rates during election years suggests that it is harder for brands to break through the proliferation of political ad clutter to gain consumer attention.
2.Political ads push new product ads from consumers minds: Respondents said that four out of the last ten commercials they could remember contained political messages. This shows that in an election year, consumers are less likely to recall new product ads, either because there are simply more political ads, or that the political ads make more of a lasting impression.
3. Domestically-made products are more popular than ever: “Made in The USA” was cited by 62% of consumers as influencing their purchasing decision, a five percent increase from two years ago. “Made Locally” experienced a similar boost in influence, with 52% of respondents influenced by it, up from 48% in 2011 and 46% in 2010. MMNPL data from the past decade shows that attributes such as “Made in the USA” spike in influence during presidential election years.
4.Amazon Kindle Fire still hot after nearly a year: Amazon’s Kindle Fire topped the Most Memorable New Product Launches list with 30% of surveyed consumers remembering the launch. Other products that made the top ten were Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Taco (#2, 18.8%), Tide Pods (#3, 15.6%), Pepsi Next (#4, 13%), Samsung Galaxy Note (#5, 11.7%), the all-new iPod Nano (#6, 10.6%), Nintendo’s Wii U (#7, 8.2%), Taco Bell Cantina Bowl (#8, 7.1%), Duncan Hines Frosting Creations (#9, 5.7%), and McDonadl’s Chicken McBites (#10, 4.9%).
5.Young & healthy at heart: Millenials are more concerned about product attributes such as high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, organic and low soidum than any other age bracket.
6. Dads are the new moms: More men are making household purchasing decisions than ever with 49% of male respondents identifying themselves as the decision-makers. And increase of nearly ten percent since 2009.
To find out other key trends that emerged from our survey data, watch the video below. To download the 2012 MMNPL Data deck, click here.
Yesterday, USA Today featured the results of the 2012 Most Memorable New Product Launch (MMNPL) survey in a snapshot on the front page of the Money section. The snapshot announced the top five most memorable new products of 2012 according to our survey. Amazon’s Kindle Fire topped the list with a surprising 30% of respondents remembering the product launch, even though it had been almost a year since the Kindle Fire first hit the market. Taco Bell’s comeback was solidified by the Doritos Locos Taco coming in at the number two spot, followed by Tide Pods, a launch whose huge marketing budget clearly made and impression on consumers. Pepsi Next, the reduced calorie soda, and the Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone rounded out the top five, showing that soda can still compete with big tech products when it comes to making a connection with consumers.
Stay tuned for the release of the full results of the 2012 MMNPL survey, including key consumer purchasing behavior insights.
Our home products expert, Tom Kraeutler, is the Host, Founder and Chief Home Improvement Evangelist of The Money Pit. He is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight when their basement floods. He first earned his home improvement stripes as a professional home inspector, amassing over 20 years experience learning how houses are put together, and how they fall apart!
Here are his selections for the Most Memorable New Home Product Launches of 2012:
These windows are an excellent choice to replace old, drafty windows that are hard to open or require frequent scraping and painting. Andersen has made it so that installing these windows couldn’t be easier. The 400 Series Tilt-Wash Double-Hung Insert Window is custom sized to fit inside an existing window frame. Just remove the top and bottom sash and insert the new window. It’s a great DIY project that requires only basic skills and no special tools. Plus, you can install the window from inside your home, making it easy to replace even second-floor windows. The tilt function makes it easy to clean them, and the low-maintenance exterior eliminates the need for paint. Plus, the high-performance Low-E4 glass provides superior energy-efficiency.
Every once in a while a company comes out with a truly unique innovation that completely takes me by surprise. Gyro is one of those products — the world’s first motion activated power screwdriver. It’s really cool and fun to use. Here’s how it works: the trigger is on the back of it, so when you squeeze the Gyro you engage the power switch. To turn it on, you rotate it to the right. It starts very slowly, and the more you turn, it goes full throttle. To slow it down you simply turn it back towards neutral or center, wherever you started with it. And then to reverse the direction, you simply turn it to the left. Gyro was developed by Black & Decker to give users more control over the application, both in speed and direction. And at a suggested retail price of $39.99, it’s both innovative and inexpensive!
The age-old problem of leaving lights on in empty rooms is solved with the Maestro Occupancy Sensing Switch from Lutron. It can detect motion so that it turns lights on when you enter a room and off when a room is empty. This hands-free technology makes life easier when you’ve got an armful of laundry or groceries, and it’s great for a household with kids who might not always remember to turn off the lights when they leave a room. It’s also convertible to manual on/off vacancy sensors for use in bedrooms and homes with pets. You can install it in 15 minutes or less, and it works with all types of light bulbs, including LED, CFL, tube fluorescent, halogen and incandescent. And by replacing just one standard light switch with a Maestro Occupancy Sensing Switch, you can save up to $25 in energy costs.
This $10 million prize-winning light bulb is an answer to our energy future that’s here today – selected by the U.S. Department of energy as the most energy efficient-alternative to the standard 60-watt incandescent bulb. Philips 10-watt LED bulb lasts 30 times longer – up to 27 years!! – and can save you up to $165 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. Wave goodbye to the hassle of changing bulbs frequently and pat yourself on the back for choosing a bulb that’s smart for the planet AND your wallet. Philips 10-watt LED bulb is fully dimmable and provides soft white light with virtually no UV in the beam, so it won’t fade fabrics. And it’s designed in a traditional bulb shape that will fit right into your existing fixtures.
As a nation, we flush away billions of gallons of water every day. You can be part of the solution by improving a water-wasting toilet in your own home. Fluidmaster’s Duo Flush is an innovative system that converts any toilet into a high-efficiency, water-saving dual flush toilet that saves you money to boot. It provides up to 50% water savings with every flush, and can knock your water bill down by more than $120 a year per toilet. It’s easy to install – takes just 20 minutes – and easy to use: Just lift the handle up for a half flush and push it down for a full flush. You’ll be reducing your annual water usage by more than 15,000 gallons, and the planet will thank you.
It’s been a big year for toys with re-imagined classics and tablet technology trickling down to the playroom. We turned to toy reviewer Dan Nessel of DadDoes.com for his picks for the Most Memorable New Product Launches in the toy category this year.
Nintendo is looking to shake up the video game industry with the Nintendo Wii U. Rather than compete with the PS3 and Xbox 360 on purely power and graphics, the Wii U introduces a whole new way to play. Every Wii U will come with a GamePad controller, basically a tablet that works with the Wii U. The GamePad introduces a second screen and changes the way video games are played.
Nintendo has held a number of Wii U Experience events for the press and video game lovers to create a buzz around the system and it looks to be working. Within days of the announcement that the Wii would be available on November 18th, stores such as Target, Best Buy and Toys R Us had stopped taking pre-orders due to high demand.
Furby is back! While it is unlikely the new Furby will match the craziness that surrounded the original Furby in 1998, Furby is still looking to be a hot toy for the 2012 holiday season. The new Furby has new features to make him/her more interactive and you can now use an iPhone/iPad App to play with Furby.
Hasbro has done a big social media push for Furby and retailers are expecting high demand. Furby has already been named to the Toys R Us, Walmart and Kmart Top Toy lists.
Razor puts a spin on the classic 3 wheel trike…literally. The Flash Rider 360 turns and drifts on dual inclined caster wheels, so kids can easily do full 360 spins. In addition to the spinning fun, The Flash Rider 360 has a Spark Bar, so now kids can spin and spark.
The Razor Flash Rider 360 was a hit at the 2012 International Toy Fair in NYC and was featured on ABC’s The View. In addition, The Flash Rider 360 was named a Most Wanted Toy by Time To Play.
The original LeapPad was a hit and all indications are that the LeapPad 2 will be even more popular with technology loving kids. At its June 2012 release, the LeapPad 2 sold more units in two days than the LeapPad 1 did in a week.
The LeapPad 2, is the next generation of the #1 kid’s learning tablet (LeapPad1), bringing higher performance, new features and an extensive library filled with learning and creative content.
The LeapPad2 is a quality product with strong marketing and positive word of mouth recommendations behind it and was recently named to the Toys R Us, Walmart and Kmart Top Holiday Toy lists.
A hot trend this year is remote control (R/C) toys that do more than just drive or fly. Air Hogs has created the ultimate R/C toy for boys – the Air Hogs Hover Assault. The Hover Assault is a car that you can drive, but with the press of a button the car takes off and becomes a flying car. It gets even better, press another button on the remote and fire missiles from your flying car.
Air Hogs has created buzz for the Hover Assault with a number of commercial spots, online videos and via social media. Air Hogs Hover Assault was named to both the Walmart Top 20 Holiday Toy List and the Kmart Fab 15 Holiday Toy list.
What do you think of Dan’s picks? Check back for more expert product selections, and for the results of the Most Memorable New Product Launch survey coming later this year.
Our Beauty Expert Kelly Logan Gould, is best known as the editor of Gouldylox Reviews, which was ranked one of this year’s Top 50 Best Beauty Blogs by iFabbo. Kelly also contributes to Lock & Mane and She Said Beauty. Here are her picks for the five most memorable beauty products of the year!
Sarah Potempa Beachwaver — The Beachwaver will save you time and leave you looking like you just left the red carpet! Sarah and her sister Erin worked on developing this innovative rotating curling iron for over two years. The technology is unsurpassed (with customized extra-long barrel, digital temperature control, and Left/Right control buttons), the idea is simple, and your hair will look fabulous. Guaranteed! – This is the best iron I’ve tried this year. It takes the guess work out of the perfect beach waves, EVERY TIME.
Garnier BB Cream — Skin concerns, such as discoloration, dullness, blotchiness and dryness can come from a number of different sources. It’s hard to find just one product that addresses them all. Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream immediately and effectively fullfills your skincare expectations with just one multi-benefit product that combines intense moisturizing skincare + immediate skin perfecting coverage for skin that looks naturally more even, radiant and smooth.
Sally Hansen Real Polish Strips — It wears like nail polish because it IS nail polish. No dry time, so you’re ready to go. This is so easy to apply, it wears for more than a week when topped with clear polish and looks fantastic with no nail damage.
Knockout Nails — This revolutionary new system will take your nails from short and brittle—to strong and beautiful. By strengthening the nails with its unique hardening ingredients, cured in the UV light, KNOCKOUTnails prevents the nails from chipping and breaking. Your nails are completely dry in 2 minutes, so you can go right back to your daily routine, no matter how strenuous. Knockout Nails protects and strengthens your natural nails so they become longer, stronger, and more beautiful. You can use any of your favorite polishes on top of KNOCKOUTnails. This is like a gel manicure that allows you to change your polish color whenever you want. Your nails are always clear, strong and lovely!
Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool — A triple-tip lash-emphasizing tool that fills in spaces between lashes, giving the natural impression of thicker, more luscious lashes. This innovative 3-in-1 design makes lash emphasizing dots, tight-lining and traditional lash-lining easy. Great for cat eyes! This looks incredibly gimmicky, BUT WORKS and makes everything so easy!
What beauty products did you find most memorable this year? Are there any you’re eager to try? Let us know and keep checking back as we count down to the results of our annual Most Memorable New Product Launch survey!
Amanda Shih, our pet expert and dog trainer, walker, groomer and boarder created her blog, Doggie Product Review, to provide other dog owners with helpful, easy to understand product reviews. Based in Chicago, she reviews toys, treats, food and general tools. Here is her list of the top Five Most Memorable 2012 Pet Products.
Absolutely New’s Treat Launcher™eliminates getting doggie drool on your hands and makes feeding time fun! Simply pull the trigger and a single piece of food is launched into the air. Not only is this a great way to give your dog exercise, it also feeds your dog at the same time.
The DogGone Smart Pet Bed is the latest high tech product to hit the market for dog beds. The truly amazing water-resistant Dog Gone Smart Pet Bed leaves your dog’s bed clean without compromising on fabric feel or comfort.
Bionic Toss N Tug Toyfloats, flies, and is guaranteed to be chewed and not break or Bionic will give you a new one for free! The demo video for this cool toy shows how it can survive a blender and still look like new.They also have models that can be filled with treats to provide hours of safe fun for your pooch.
Frosty Bowlzhas a freezable insert that will keep your pet’s water ice cold for up to 18 hours! A must for hot summer days.
Pet Paintis just that: safe, non-toxic, and veterinarian approved paint for your dog. The first-of-its-kind, this product is sure to leave a lasting memory when you paint on your team’s colors. Imagine the looks your dog will draw at parades, social events, and parties all painted up and ready to show!
The year 2012 has introduced us to many new pet products. What do you think is the best new product? Which would you be most likely to try? Make sure to check back toward the end of the year, when we will be revealing our Most Memorable New Product Launch survey final results.
Barilla, the world’s leading pasta brand, recently made its first leap to the microwavable aisle with its tasty launch—Barilla Microwaveable Meals. From the cabinet to the microwave to the table, the new single serving meals bring a little piece of Italy right to the home in just 60 seconds.
The portable 320 calorie meals are available in five varieties including Mezze Penne with Traditional Marinara Sauce, Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil Sauce, Mezze Penne with Spicy Marinara Sauce, and in two whole grain options including Whole Grain Fusilli with Vegetable Marinara Sauce and Whole Grain Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil Sauce (and for those of you pasta lovers, that’s five different pasta dishes for five work days, but who’s counting?)
Barilla’s new creation was developed with the busy on-the-go professional in mind.
“[The meals] are shelf stable so you can throw them into your bag on your way out the door, or keep a supply in your desk drawer,” said Giannella Alvarez, president of Barilla America in a press release.
With the April 5th product announcement on the brand’s Facebook page, Barilla invited the first 1,000 users to register for a free sample of the microwaveable meals to be sent to their home. The samples were gone almost as soon as the offer was posted. Social media engagement didn’t stop there for the new all-natural meals; Twitter followers were encouraged to use the hashtag #BarillaIn60 to share their thoughts on the new product.
Barilla is no amateur when it comes to product launching. The top pasta brand invited editors from some of the most well-known New York City publications to test the new microwaveable meals, and captured the entire event on video—which they of course included on their YouTube channel.
Effective campaign initiatives aside, what makes these microwavable meals so different from the rest? For starters: simplicity. The meals are shelf stable and packed with quality ingredients minus the preservatives, not to mention they’re incredibly convenient. It’s easy products like this that consumers have come to expect, and as long as Barilla keeps launching them, they’ll keep holding onto that #1 spot.
MMNPL’s Ashley DePaolo visited with social media savvy Duck Brands to learn all about their new official NFL Team Logo Duct Tape. Watch the video, recorded at the 2012 National Hardware Show, to see why more than 5 million Facebook fans are stuck on Duck Brand Duct Tape.
When Viatek tweeted at MMNPL’s Ashley DePaolo while she was at the National Hardware Show, she knew she had to stop by and learn all about their brand new Spin Mop, which you may have already seen on HSN.
MMNPL’s Ashley DePaolo stopped by the 3M booth at the 2012 National Hardware Show to learn about their new product Lead Check.
Ashley DePaolo: Alright so Mona tell me your name, title, and what you do at 3M.
Mona Jannahuskey: My name is Mona Jannahuskey and I’m a technical manager in the construction and home improvement markets laboratory, and I have responsibility for our scotch blue masking tape products, our duct tape products and the product we’re going to be talking about today.
Ashley: Great! So tell me about lead check.
Mona: Okay, so we have this product out that’s called Lead Check, and it’s the first product that was recognized by the EPA to test for lead on metal and wood, and recently it has just been recognized by the EPA for drywall and plaster. So, that’s been a huge boom for our contractors.
Ashley: When the product first launched I assume that, and you know correct me if I’m wrong here, that you were probably more focused on the contractor market?
Mona: Yes definitely. Because there was a ruling that came out, an RRP ruling- Renovation, Repair and Painting- that came out that said that pre-1978 homes had to be checked for lead before any renovation had to be done. And these contractors, if they found lead, had to be certified in order to do the renovation.
Ashley: Then over the evolution of the product being available in the marketplace, has your focus at all shifted to the consumer so they can sort of check their own house?
Mona: Yes. We do have what is called a Lead Check Screen, and that’s going to be something that’s coming out so they’ll be able to take a look into toys and just get an idea if there is something there then you should be contacting a contractor that is skilled and has been trained in renovation for lead
Ashley: So tell me, where is Lead Check available?
Mona: This product is available in most of the major home centers.
Ashley: And what’s the price point?
Mona: You can do this test for about um $5 a swab so we have a 2 pack and we have an 8 pack the 8 pack retails for about $24.99 and the 2 pack is right around the $10 point.
Ashley: Great! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.
Mona: Thank you.
Check back soon for more interviews, videos and product demos from the 2012 National Hardware Show.
Schneider Associates (SA) is a full service public relations firm that specializes in Launch Public Relations®. SA launches products, services, companies, and communities for clients ranging from entrepreneurial firms to the nation's largest corporations. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Sentient Decision Science
Sentient Decision Science was created to bring the visionary advances from the behavioral sciences to the business community in a practical and accessible format in order to move global business forward. Sentient's mission is to become the most sought after resource for behavioral insight by providing unrivaled business advantage to their clients and advancing human knowledge on the drivers of behavior.CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Posted by mmnpl 
