3M’s New Lead Check Products Aim To Make Lead Detection Quicker

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.

MMNPL and The Money Pit’s Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete at NHS 2012

MMNPL’s Ashley DePaolo caught up with Leslie Segrete and Tom Kraeutler of the popular DIY show and website The Money Pit to get their thoughts on all of the new products at the 2012 National Hardware Show.

MMNPL checks out iTouchless at NHS 2012

MMNPL’s Ashley DePaolo learns all about iTouchless’ line of touch-free toilet seats, trash cans and other products at the 2012 National Hardware Show.

Keep checking back here for more interviews and videos from NHS 2012.

Axe Introduces New Fragrance for Women

A product launch that we are watching for possible inclusion in the 2012 MMNPL is the newest body spray from Axe.

Axe, the body spray and grooming brand by Unilever, famous for its ads that turn average young men into heroic “girl-magnets,” recently launched the newest addition to its line of body sprays: Anarchy, a scent marketed towards men and women.

The campaign, by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, focuses on the idea of chaos and commotion, using dramatic online and print advertisements to stir up attention. The online promotion kicked-off with a teaser commercial, also seen in movie theaters, which featured the “Anarchy” concept without revealing the new product for women.

Social media, specifically the Axe Facebook page, played a key role in unleashing the “anarchist” scent. Up until the launch, Facebook users were greeted with a countdown to the fragrance release using the text “Anarchy is coming.” Free samples were distributed before the product hit stores for Facebook users who answered all of the questions correctly on an Axe quiz.

Axe also launched an original graphic novel in partnership with Aspen Comics, appropriately titled “Anarchy,” via  YouTube and Facebook.  The graphic novel, “Anarchy Girl,.” Was created with fan feedback in real time, with Axe consumers voting on the comic’s plotline, characters and other aspects online through Axe’s social media channels. Some lucky fans also had comic versions of themselves featured in the novel after “liking” specific Axe Facebook posts or contributing their ideas.

To elaborate on their “Are you ready for unexpected attraction at every turn?” marketing campaign, Axe produced their usual suggestive commercial: a female police officer chasing a male robber through the city, only to meet with an incredible force of attraction at the end of the ad.

A limited edition release, the question is will the body spray make women forgo their normal stand-by and make Axe Anarchy body spray their new choice? Barret Roberts, Senior Brand Manager at Axe, told the New York Times, “We’ve been hearing for some time that females have been asking for and looking for their very own scent of Axe.”

At SA, we believe this is not anarchy, just smart marketing.

MMNPL Stats on Consumer Commercial Enjoyment Featured in USA Today Snapshot

USA Today featured data from Schneider Associates‘ and Sentient Decision Science‘s 2011 Most Memorable New Product Launch survey in a snapshot on the front page of the Life section on January 24th. The data showed that television viewers enjoy commercials more than online viewers, but also that the majority of consumers polled enjoy watching commercials at least sometimes.

MMNPL 2011 Survey Featured in a USA Today Snapshot

A snapshot of the 2011 MMNPL survey results was featured in the January 18 edition of USA Today. The USA Today Snapshot, titled “Most Memorable Product Launches of 2011,” displays the top product launches of last year. The survey conducted by research partner Sentient Decision Science polled a national sampling of consumers who named the Kinect for Xbox 360 as the most memorable product launch of 2011, with Nintendo 3DS and the Chevy Volt (tied), and Wendy’s Natural Cut Fries rounding out the top three spots.

To read more about the 2011 MMNPL survey, Click Here.

MMNPL Product Preview: Orville Redenbacher’s Pop Up Bowl

An impressive launch we’ve been watching this year is Orville Redenbacher’s Pop Up Bowl. A revolutionary way to eat microwave popcorn, the bag opens on the side, making it the perfect disposable popcorn bowl. Check out the video below and our earlier blog post about the Pop Up Bowl to see why this product might pop up in this year’s MMNPL top ten.

MMNPL Product preview: Kinect for XBox 360

Another launch we’re predicting will land in the top ten for this year’s Most Memorable New Product Launches is the Kinect for XBox 360. This revolutionary device transcends video games and loses those pesky remotes once and for all.

Check out our video on why we found the Kinect’s launch campaign truly memorable.

Expert Panelist Phil Lempert of Supermarket Guru

With thousands of new food and beverage launches each year, new consumer packaged goods enter an extremely competitive market where it’s difficult to create a memorable impact on passive consumers. One of the recurring trends that we are finding in the CPG industry is using to catch consumer’s attention is the promise of simplification and convenience.

Food marketing expert Phil Lempert, the force behind SupermarketGuru.com, is a pioneer in news information media, specializing in consumer behavior. Here, he offers up his top five nominations for the 2011 MMNPL survey.

Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfast

With five new microwavable breakfast foods (pancakes, waffles, entrées, sandwiches and French toast), Aunt Jemima is providing consumers with simple solutions for busy weekday mornings from a brand they already know and associate with a tasty breakfast. Calling on the slogan “Just Add Warmth,” these homemade tasting items can be prepared in just minutes using a toaster or microwave.

David’s Jumbo Sunflower Seeds

America’s favorite in-shell sunflower seeds are delicious and fun to eat anytime, anywhere, but the launch of their Jumbo Seeds is accompanied by a variety of new flavors, including Bar-B-Q, Ranch, and Chili Lime. It also exhibits new, portable packaging for convenient on-the-go enjoyment!

Dole Mixed Fruit Bowls

While most other fruit bowls contain fruit in syrup or other artificial sweeteners, Dole’s Mixed Fruit Bowls offer a healthier option, with all-natural fruit in 100% fruit juice. Awarded the 2011 Chefs Best Award for Best Taste, Dole’s Fruit Bowls are the perfect choice for a quick, healthy snack at home, in the office, or on-the-go.

Orville Redenbacher Pop up Bowl

The unique design of Orville Redenbacher’s Pop up Bowl demonstrates innovation at its finest: a microwave popcorn bag that opens on the side and morphs into a perfect popcorn bowl. By cutting out a buttery bag that only causes a greasy mess, this product has addressed the strong consumer need for convenience and simplification, ultimately revolutionizing your typical popcorn-eating experience.

Velveeta Cheesy Skillets

To address hectic family schedules during the back-to-school season, Kraft launched a new line of just-add-meat dinner kits that grant parents convenience and ease in the kitchen, allowing them to whip up a non-microwavable meal in no time. It solves the problem of wanting a home cooked meal, but not having a lot of time to prepare it. A pouch of Velveeta to mix in the meal is easier than mixing in powder, milk and butter, making this a quicker and easier option over other boxed meal kits.

MMNPL Expert Panelist Pauline Hammerbeck of Brand Packaging Nominates Products for the 2011 Survey

People say that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but many products are judged by their packing. The right wrapper can help make a product a success. In the past year, new designs were launched for products and Pauline Hammerbeck of Brand Packaging has chosen a few she thinks could be* in Schneider Associate’s 2011 Most Memorable New Product Launch Survey.

Baby Carrots

In the Fall of 2010, Bolthouse launched a new marketing campaign for their Baby Carrots snack. The campaign, “Eat ‘Em Like Junk Food,” used brand packaging resembling that of “junk food” you usually find in a vending machine. With a crinkly plastic bag, bright colored labels, and characters on the packaging geared toward children, Baby Carrots caught the attention of many. This new packaging dispels some of the stigma surrounding healthy snacks, and allows it to compete with chips and candy. 

Starbucks Logo Redesign

With its debut this past January, Starbucks redesigned the look of their logo for the third time in their 40 year history. Keeping the green iconic Siren, the company has dropped the circle around her that read “Starbucks Coffee.” Although the change has spawned some backlash from loyal Starbucks consumers, the company sees it as a marking of a milestone in their history. The Siren has stayed with the company since they first started out as a small coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, but as the company grew, it was time to update the logo with a more clean and modern look.

 Diet Coke Limited Edition Can

Marking the 125^th anniversary of Coca-Cola, it was a no brainer that the company was going to come out with a redesigned can. This September, Coca-Cola launched a new limited edition Diet Coke can. Although the temporary design keeps the traditional bare aluminum background, the letters D and K are blown-up so the lettering bleeds off the can, which has a sleek, clean, and modern look. Although they are a limited edition, it is unknown how long they will be available in stores. 

Kraft Mac & Cheese Redesign 

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has come out with a new, happier packaging and marketing strategy with the “noodle smile.” At the beginning of this year, Kraft rolled out the new boxes that feature the smile along with updated typography, shapes, colors, and patterns. Although the redesign is a drastic change from their previous box, Kraft still retained the key elements that consumers associate with the brand, which research showed to be happiness, smiles, and joy.  Kraft also wanted to create packaging that unified the different macaroni and cheese products.  As a result, the noodle smile was born.  

Puma’s Clever Little Bag

Puma is out to change the world with its revolutionary “clever little bag.” Puma has created a way to package their shoes without using any boxes at all.  It’s a known fact that shoeboxes account for millions of tons of waste each year.  Puma’s goal was to find a way to create a shoe package that was environmentally friendly.  Twenty-one months and 40 prototypes later, Puma unveiled the new clever little bag – recycled paperboard box-like inserts, which are held in place by a 20 percent polypropylene bag.  According to the Puma website, the reusable bag contains 65 percent less paper and reduces water, energy, and diesel consumption during manufacturing by over 60 percent a year. Puma claims the design will save 8,500 tons of paper per year, millions of liters of water and fuel, and 275 tons of plastic a year. Smart move, Puma.  

Sharpie Redesign and Rebranding

Last summer, Sharpie announced their decision to rebrand itself with a new campaign that promotes self-expression. New commercials and ads feature Sharpie fans using the markers to make their own artistic creations. Sharpie has also redesigned their website and their packaging, showcasing funky artwork created with Sharpies, unlike the previous packaging that looked very utilitarian and clean cut. With 15 types of markers in an assortment of colors, Sharpie’s new campaign strategy is an effective way to reach an audience of creative people looking for a way to express themselves.

*Not all products chosen by the MMNPL expert panelists are guaranteed to be included in the MMNPL survey due to our rigorous criteria for selecting new products.