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.
Starbucks has brewed up a new alternative to coffee or sugary energy drinks- Starbucks Refreshers. Made with green coffee extract, can these beverages give consumers the light afternoon buzz they crave? And will they be one of 2012′s Most Memorable New Product Launches?
Barilla, famous for their fresh, frozen and dried pastas, sauces and meals, has launched its first line of microwavable meals. Ready in 60 seconds, 320 calories each and 5 great flavors to choose from- will this pronto pasta be perfecto for Barilla?
For more than a decade, children have enjoyed the famous Goldfish crackers from Pepperidge Farm (smiling Goldfish crackers were launched by Schneider Associates many years ago) Now, Pepperidge Farm is leveraging their smiling Goldfish equity by launching Goldfish Sandwich Bread- the bread that smiles back.
The bread comes in three varieties: Soft White, Soft 100% Whole Wheat, and Soft Honey Whole Wheat. All three contain no high fructose corn syrup and boast 3 grams of fiber per serving for only 120 calories. Not to mention, the bread is completely crust-free, ensuring that the pickiest eaters will have no reason to dislike it.
“We are excited to offer kids and the young at heart a fun and healthful new way to enjoy their favorite sandwiches,” Maureen Linder, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Fresh and Frozen Bakery at Pepperidge Farm said in a press release from the company.
To celebrate the launch, Pepperidge Farms conducted a national survey to unveil the hidden troubles of making lunches. In “The Shape of Sandwiches” survey, they found that parents often find making lunches difficult and even frustrating. Nine out of 10 moms revealed that their children find their sandwiches more appealing if the bread is cut into fun and creative shapes and sizes, and are more likely to eat them. 50% of mothers participating in the survey revealed that their children have requested triangular sandwiches while 23% revealed that their children have wanted their food in shapes of faces. Pepperidge farm created a product based on a unique consumer insight, fitting into the recent trend of Customer Calibration™ that we have been seeing.
Aside from the survey, Pepperidge Farms also participated in Evo ’11, a three-day social media conference for women in Park City, Utah, to showcase their new bread. They provided lunch for the conference on Friday, July 8th, where the new sandwich bread was a featured product. A photo op included a scenic picnic backdrop and a blow-up replica of the Goldfish mascot, Finn. Participant pictures were all uploaded onto the official Pepperidge Farms Facebook page.
So far, the reviews for Goldfish Sandwich Bread have been positive, which is no surprise considering the brand developed the product based on consumer insights. Is it the best thing since sliced bread? Could be.
A product launch that we’re watching: Orville Redenbacher’s New Microwave Popcorn Pop Up Bowl. By using innovative marketing strategies and creating a solution to a common snack-time problem, this product is a possible entry for this year’s Most Memorable New Product Launch.
Microwave popcorn lovers everywhere are familiar with the icky buttery hands that result from reaching into the bottom of a microwave popcorn bag. Orville Redenbacher has launched an innovative packaging solution to produce a clean and enjoyable popcorn eating experience: the Pop Up Bowl, now available at Walmart. “This is the biggest thing to happen to popcorn in 25 years,” says Jesse Spungin, general manager at Orville Redenbacher. The new packaging, available in Ultimate Butter, Smart Pop, Movie Theater Butter and Butter, makes sharing a popcorn bag easy without the hassle of rinsing out a bowl when you’re done. So what’s all the buzz about? The bag transforms into a bowl while in the microwave, so the only clean up required is tossing the empty bowl. In a society that relies on convenience and efficiency, a clean, fun and user-friendly package is the perfect improvement to everyone’s favorite snack.
The new packaging was launched towards the beginning of Orville Redenbacher’s Pop & Win Instant Win Game. Specially marked boxes of popcorn contain popcorn bags with heat activated game messages that announce whether or not the bag is a winner. Winning bags contain a code to be entered online to redeem prizes that range from HDTVs and Wii consoles to games and digital cameras to grand prizes like a $10,000 Game Room Bundle or a $10,000 Home Theater Makeover.
Before the Pop Up Bowl launch in February, bloggers and Blissdom 2011 social media conference attendees were sent samples of the product to generate internet buzz. A large portion of the reviewers are moms who shared the popcorn bowl with their families. The FoodYouLove Youtube channel features a video demonstrating the convenience of the Pop Up Bowl as opposed to traditional bags of popcorn. A SmartSource $1 off printable coupon is circulating online, and The Orville Redenbacher Facebook page is also marketing the new product, emphasizing the easy cleanup and share-ability of the packaging.
So far, reviewers are raving about the Pop Up Bowl. It has already been featured on The View’s blog as one of this year’s hottest food trends. With a no mess, easy to use package and faster preparation time, it’s a wonder this hasn’t been thought of before. The Pop Up Bowl is sure to be a revolutionary product that pushes the snack food industry to reconsider packaging as vital to product differentiation. Environmentalists will approve of the waste saved from using napkins. Clean, convenient, easy to eat – what’s not to love?
Patrick Richardson, Director of Integrated Marketing at Schneider Associates, presents the Motorola Droid. With an innovative launch and advertising campaign, is this smart phone memorable enough to take the top spot? Check back soon and find out!
With intense competition in the category, fast food restaurants are going beyond just the “burger and fries” menu to offer more diverse and healthy options. Quick-service restaurants expert, Elissa Elan of Nation’s Restaurant News, has been following these new food trends and offers her nominations* for the most memorable fast food innovations of the year (product choices by Elissa, summaries compiled by the MMNPL staff).
This summer, McDonald’s vowed to “change the way you look at fruit” with its new Real Fruit Smoothies. Offered in Wild Berry and Strawberry Banana flavors, these new McCafe blends are creamy and cool, creating an entirely new fruit experience. The introduction of the sweet new smoothies and their partner, the Frappe, resulted in a jump in sales for the fast food giant, while solidifying the smoothie’s place in the restaurant world.
In April, Subway joined the fast food breakfast trend with a new line of breakfast sandwiches. Served on a wheat English muffin, with black forest ham, green peppers, onions and melted cheese, the Western Egg & Cheese is a breakfast delight for less than 200 calories. Customers can mix it up with bread choices such as flatbread or French bread, and can customize their breakfasts with all the fixings Subway’s sandwich bar has to offer. With Subway restaurants now opening at 7am on weekday mornings, this sandwich king has quickly become a major player in the breakfast game.
Burger King stayed true to its name this year, with the introduction of the huge seven-ounce Steakhouse XT burger. Launched in February, the Steakhouse XT is a thick burger topped with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mayo, with options such as cheese, bacon and crispy onions. The unique attraction of the Steakhouse XT is not, however, it’s massive size and delicious taste, but the way the burger is grilled. Burger King’s new Flex Broiler has serious grilling skills, while saving energy and reducing gas emissions, making this tasty burger environmentally friendly.
This summer, Wendy’s revived their salad line with the return of the Garden Sensations Salads, first introduced in 2002. The salad line includes: Apple Pecan Chicken, Baja, Spicy Chicken Caesar and BLT Cobb salads. All are hand-made daily by Wendy’s, with fresh ingredients not often found in fast-food restaurants. Seasonal fruit, fresh greens, hand-made pico de gallo and crispy bacon make these salads a delicious alternativeto the fast-food burger. All four salads weigh in at less than 800 calories, offering customers a healthy, high-quality and delicious menu option.
Introduced in May 2010, Popeyes’ new Wicked Chicken is a fun and flavorful way of offering boneless chicken. Marinated with authentic Louisiana seasonings, hand-battered and breaded in the restaurants, Wicked Chicken is wickedly good. Served crispy, twisty and curly, these thin chicken strips are delicious, affordable and perfect for dipping.
*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.
For more information on Elissa Elan, please visit out expert panel page. For more information on upcoming MMNPL products, see our Twitter handle, @MMNPL.
Will McDonald’s Real Fruit Smoothies resonate with health conscious consumers? McDonald’s is certainly no stranger to memorable product launches, having made the Most Memorable New Product Launch survey’s Top 10 multiple times since 2002, most recently at #2 in 2009 with the McCafé line. So will the Real Fruit Smoothie swirl up interest and product trial, or just blend in with the bevy of food product introductions this year?
With 2009’s launch of the McCafé, McDonald’s sparked “coffee wars” with Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and smaller chains around the country. After McDonald’s used aggressive advertising to establish and steal market share for McCafé, the entire coffee category grew, so McDonald’s success in raising awareness led to some competitors also experiencing a boost in sales. This summer’s introduction of smoothies to the series is expected to parallel the launch of the original McCafé line, growing the entire smoothie category, which was valued around $2.5 billion in 2007 by Mintel.
Sofia Therios, marketing director at McDonald’s, explains, “Even though we aren’t the first in the category, we are committed to growing the category.”
Established smoothie makers like Jamba Juice, Panera, and Smoothie King have a similar attitude towards the launch, hoping that McDonald’s big product push will expand overall interest in the category. But given McDonald’s size and commitment to creating a more wholesome product with real fruit, the original smoothie chains have good reason to worry.
On July 13th, McDonald’s premiered two flavors, Wild Berry and Strawberry-Banana, at a value price of $2.29 for a 12 oz. drink compared to Jamba Juice’s smoothies which start at $3.55 for 16 oz. servings. In retaliation to the McDonald’s launch, Jamba Juice aired a commercial featuring the “Cheeseburger Chill” smoothie, mocking McDonald’s entrance into the smoothie market and roots as a burger chain.
The integrated marketing campaign for the McDonald’s smoothie launch includes television and print ads which feature dancers blending the smoothie, as well as paint filled balloon wars that imitate the splashes of flavor. McDonald’s combined these tactics with social media interaction and a creative website that gives fans an opportunity to make their own smoothie art by playing with an addictive spin art app. McDonald’s originally planned three days of nationwide smoothie giveaways, but canceled the giveaways due to fear of running out of the product. It’s possible that the company feared a supply shortage similar to what happened to 2009’s MMNPL winner, KFC’s Grilled Chicken, which ran out of free samples after an endorsement by Oprah.
Will McDonald’s once again liquefy the competition to reach the top 10 of the MMNPL survey? We’ll have to wait and see. Until then, satisfy your summer cravings with a smoothie, or a burger, or a burger smoothie.
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
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