BrandSpark International's 2020 Best New Product Award Winners Announced

Survey of 16,000+ Canadians reveals growing consumer preferences for health-conscious, plant-based and natural products

TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2020 /CNW/ - Today, leading market research firm BrandSpark International announced the results of their 17^th annual Best New Product Awards (BNPA) and new research on Canadians' shopping habits for consumer products. More than 16,000 Canadians voted on the latest beauty, health, personal care, food, beverage, household, pet, home goods and tech products in 70 different categories. Innovation was strongly represented from the natural, plant-based and health-conscious realms, with winning brands including Burt's Bees, Jamieson, Astro, Beyond Burger, and Gardein.

"There are so many new products launched each year. It is hard for consumers to know what to buy and challenging for brands to break through the clutter. Unsurprisingly, 66% Canadians rely on the recommendations of others to choose the superior products most deserving of their dollars. This is where the Best New Product Awards program comes in" said Robert Levy, President of BrandSpark International.

"The BNPAs help products stand out from competition. Year after year we see brands gain an edge in the market by leveraging their win consistently across traditional and digital media channels." says Kim Diamond, Vice President of the BNPAs. "And we know that including the Best New Product Awards seal and claim drives ROI for the winners. The Best New Product Awards seal is the most leveraged new product seal used by Canada's most trusted brands, and is the most influential seal in the eyes of the consumer because it is based on real Canadian shoppers across the country," Diamond adds.

Key takeaways from this year's BrandSpark Canadian Shopper Study:

• The innovations that resonate with the most Canadians focus on health, taste, sustainability, effectiveness, and convenience.
• 67% say they look for new products that will "make my life easier."
• Sustainability is on the minds of Canadian shoppers with 60% saying it is important that food products are produced following sustainable practices and 66% saying they try to choose household products that are not harmful to the environment.
• 76% of Canadians agree that taste is the most important factor when buying food, but they're also trying to eat better with 69% reporting they are making changes to live healthier, remaining constant from last year's survey.
• Natural food continues to be a priority for Canadians with 58% saying they try to buy products that are more natural.
• Meat alternatives are growing quickly with 31% reporting that they are eating less meat than 2 years ago, primarily less red meat.

New innovation in Health/OTC products

The 2020 Best New Product Awards featured many over-the-counter health product innovations. Consumer belief in the relevance of new innovation is especially strong in this space, with 64% agreeing that over-the-counter health products are consistently being improved. Canadians are willing to pay for these benefits with 54% saying they will spend more for the products that they know work.

Beauty Products and Effectiveness

In the beauty and personal care categories, the 2020 study confirmed that Canadians continue to look for products that will be gentle on their skin, yet prove to be effective. "Beauty shoppers won't compromise on great results, and superior effectiveness continues to be the key to victory for beauty winners in the BNPAs," said Levy. "Over 50% of shoppers state that beauty products available at drug stores are just as effective as those from more expensive prestige brands".

The 2020 study shows that 57% of beauty shoppers believe that ongoing R&D continues to lead to better beauty products. Natural ingredients are a key area for recent innovation, with 1 in 2 consumers trying to include natural beauty products in their routine. Beauty shoppers also affirmed that they continue to rely on consumer-voted awards and reviews, with 8 in 10 saying consumer endorsements influence them to purchase new beauty products.

2020 Best New Product Award Winners

BEAUTY, HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE
Category	Product
Anti-Aging Facial Care	L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power LZR 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid
Baby Health	Braun Nasal Aspirator
Body Lotion	Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream Fragrance Free
Cheek Tint / Colour	Burt's Bees Lip & Cheek Stick
Collagen Supplement	Jamieson Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Liquid
Conditioner	Hair Food Conditioner
Cough Syrup	Robitussin Honey
Dry Shampoo	Batiste Bare Dry Shampoo
Eye Drops	hydraSense Advanced for Dry Eyes
Hair Mask	Aveeno Oat Milk Blend Hair Mask
Leave-in Hair Treatment	Garnier Almond & Argan Leave-in Treatment
Lip Care	Burt's Bees Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment
Pain Relief	Advil Mini Gels
Probiotic for Kids	Jamieson Chewable Probiotic for Kids
Protein Powder	Jamieson Essentials plus Plant Protein
Electric Toothbrush	Oral B Genius x 10000 Rechargeable Toothbrush
Shampoo	Garnier Almond & Argan Shampoo
Shampoo/Conditioner Bar	BKIND Package Free Hair Care Trio
Sinus Relief	Tylenol Sinus Pressure & Pain
Sleep Aid	Jamieson Beauty Sleep
Toothpaste	Sensodyne Rapid Relief
Vitamin	Jamieson Chewable Iron Plus B12
Wellness Gummy	Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummy

         

FOOD & BEVERAGE
Category	Product
Bagged Chocolate	Ferrero Bags
Better-for-you Candy	Smart Sweets
Better-for-you Frozen Pizza	Dr. Oetker Yes It's Pizza
Cheese Snack	Black Diamond Combo
Chips	Takis Outlaw
Chocolate Bar	Merci Chocolate Bars
Cookies	Fudge Covered Oreo
Crackers	Triscuit Woven with Chia Seeds Rosemary & Jalapeño
Frozen Breakfast Bowl	CRAVE Bacon Egg Scramble
Frozen Dessert	Dr. Oetker Patisserie
Frozen Fish	Ocean's Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
Frozen Potatoes	McCain Dipn' Wedges
Frozen Savoury Snack	McCain Pizza Pockets Meat Lovers
Grab-and-go Meal	Sabra Avocado Toast
Holiday Chocolate	Lindt Snowman
Ice Cream Sandwich	Farm Boy Dulce De Leche Waffle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nut Milk	Simply Almond
Peanut Butter/Spread	Legendary Foods Chocolate Banana Flavored Peanut Spread
Plant-Based Burger	Beyond Meat Burger
Plant-Based Sausage	Gardein Breakfast Sausage Patties
Shredded Cheese	Armstrong Triple Cheddar Shredded Cheese
Single-Serve Coffee	NESCAFE GOLD Origins Coffee Capsules
Sparkling Water	S Pellegrino Essenza
Speciality Pasta	Catelli Bistro Infusions
Whipped Cream	Cha's Organic Coconut Whipping Cream
Yogurt	Siggi's Yogurt
Yogurt with Added Probiotics	Astro Original Kefir Probiotic

       

HOUSEHOLD, PET, HOMEGOODS & TECH
Category	Product
Air Fryer	Instant Pot 10-qt Vortex Compact Air Fryer Oven
Air Care	Febreze Small Spaces
Blender	Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender
Coffee Maker	Braun MultiServe 12cup Drip Coffee Maker
Dish Soap	Palmolive Ultra Liquid Dish Soap, Pure + Clear Original
Dishwasher Cleaner	Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner
Dog Treat	Milk-Bone Wonder Bones
Fabric Enhancer	Downy Wrinkleguard Fabric Conditioner
Fan	Honeywell TurboForce Power High Velocity Oscillating Air Circulator 2 Fans in 1
Hand Soap	Attitude Living Super Leaves Foaming Natural Hand Soap
Liquid Laundry Detergent	Tide Liquid Heavy Duty
Mattress	Beautyrest Black
Mattress-in-a-box	Serta Chinook Mattress-in-a-box
Natural Dog Treat	Crumps' Naturals Mini Trainers Salmon Snaps
Noise Cancelling Earbuds	Airpods Pro
Portable Heater	Honeywell TurboForce Power Heat Circulator
Single-Dose Laundry Detergent	Tide Liquid Pods Cold Water
Smart Speaker	Amazon Echo Dot
Smart Vacuum	Shark IQ Robot Self Empty Vacuum
Tech Toys for Kids	Air Hogs Zero Gravity Laser Racer

About BrandSpark International

Founded in 2001, BrandSpark International is a boutique research and consulting firm that provides leading organizations with the clear direction they need to optimize brand positioning, ignite brand strategy, understand the evolving omni-channel shopper and prioritize growth initiatives. BrandSpark Marketing Services runs major awards programs Best New Product Awards and BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards, and a new consumer site, www.ShopperArmy.ca which is a community of shoppers who test products and provide quality ratings and reviews, and also shopper actions and feedback. Shopper Army also offers cash back at 100+ top online stores.

SOURCE BrandSpark International's 2020 Best New Product Awards

or interview requests, please contact: Kaitlyn Farrow, ROI Relations, [email protected], 905.396.0389; Kim Diamond, Best New Product Awards, [email protected], 647.213.6931