Stephen Jenkins, Customer Marketing Manager, Beiresdorf – POY 2012

Monique Smith, Senior Brand Manager, Garnier – POY 2012

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MEDIA RELEASE
30 May 2011

DUNKERLEY CHAIRS PRODUCT OF THE YEAR JURY PANEL

Product of the Year will again have a high-powered panel assessing and shortlisting the entries for its 2012 Awards, with Woolworths’ Director of Marketing Luke Dunkerley named to chair an eleven-strong group of industry experts.

The jury, which includes Product of the Year ambassador Lisa Wilkinson, media representatives and National Merchandisers from the retailer sector, will meet in September to vet the products and ensure each entry demonstrates an innovation in function, design or packaging. Only the most innovative products will then move into the consumer research stage, being judged by 5500 consumers in Australia’s biggest independent consumer survey.

Product of the Year is heading into its third year in Australia and Director Sarah Connelly said the program itself is striving to innovate and be relevant. The Awards’ latest initiative was to work with leading marketing information group TNS to provide direct consumer feedback to all shortlisted products.

“It is a value-add for all entries that make the final cut,” Connelly said. “They will now be able to hear exactly what the consumers say about their offering and the other products in that category, providing relevant market insights.”
Product of the Year is the only consumer research exercise which specifically asks the consumer about the appeal and interest of new products currently available to them. More than 5,000 households take part in the self-completion survey conducted by TNS.
To qualify for entry, products must have launched between 1 January 2010 and 30 August 2011 and be a completely new type of product or a useful innovation, addition or modification to an existing product or brand. For 12 months, manufacturers of the winning products can use the Product of the Year logo on their packaging, promotions and advertising.

Product of the Year was founded in 1987 in France by former L’OREAL executive Christian LeBret and has been exported to 28 countries worldwide. Winners enjoy average sales increases of around 10-15% and many using the awards as a platform in their marketing and commercial activities.

The Australian entry deadline is 2 August 2011 and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Sydney early in 2012.
ENDS

For further media information please contact: Cassandra Robinson at Crossman Communications on (02) 9361 6099 or email cass.robinson@crossmancommunications.com.au

Open for Entries 2012

Calling All Innovative Products!
Entries Are Open for Product Of The Year 2012

Entries are now open for the 2012 Product of the Year Awards, recognising Australia’s most innovative products to hit supermarket shelves this year. The winning products are selected by over 5,000 shoppers in the biggest independent consumer survey in the country.

To be eligible for entry, products must launch between January 2010 and August 2011 and be either a completely new type of product or a useful innovation to an existing product or brand, such as a new ingredient, redesigned shape or size, new formula, or new packaging.

“Following a successful second year of the awards program in 2010, Product of the Year is building its profile as a valuable marketing tool helping winners set themselves apart from their competition in the eyes of the consumer,” said the director of Product of the Year Australia, Sarah Connelly.

“Previous award winners from around the world have benefited from average sales increases of around 10-15% after using the Product of the Year logo on their packaging, promotions and advertising, which they’re able to do for 12 months following their win.”

In 2010 winners were chosen from 21 categories, up from 17 the year before, including Packaged Goods, Beauty, Pet Care, Cleaning and Adult Medicine. Categories in 2012 will be finalised once entries have closed on August 2nd.

All entrants will be judged and vetted by a ‘jury’ of industry experts representing retailers, media, consumer researchers and journalists. They will determine whether each meets the key criteria of the program and can then be submitted for judging in the 5,000-strong consumer survey by global research group TNS.

For more information, or to enter, please visit the website at http://productoftheyear.com.au/.

Super Food Ideas Editorial

The Product of the Year logo is a handy guide for
busy shoppers looking for quality. Each year more
than 5000 Australian households are surveyed
to decide the best new products across 21 categories,
such as bakery goods, beauty products, beverages,
electronics and small appliances. Look for the Product
of the Year stamp on packaging in the supermarket
and be assured it was decided by people like you

Interview with Product of the Year Co-Founder Mike Nolan. Nolan explains
how top products are decided. He looks at products including Sultana Bran
Buds, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Blocks, Wonder White Hi Fibre Plus,
Airwick Aqua Mist, Finish Quantum, Pine O Cleen Complete Clean Wipes,
New Omo, Macleans Advanced Toothpaste, L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair,
Garnier HerbaShine, Dettol No-Touch Moisturiser, Organic Bubs, Pedigree
Dentastix and Panadol Extra.