Better Homes and Gardens Brings Best New Product Awards to U.S.

    NEW YORK, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Better Homes and Gardens, America's
 largest enthusiast magazine, announced today it will join forces with
 Canada's most respected consumer awards program to debut the Best New
 Product Awards in the United States.
 
     The BNPAs will be one of the largest consumer surveys focused on new
 product development and innovation in the United States. As the official
 consumer media partner, Better Homes and Gardens will share the results
 with its more than 39 million readers and millions of Web site visitors.
 
     The Best New Product Awards are the People's Choice Awards for consumer
 products, with more than 100,000 engaged customers choosing the winners.
 Respondents will vote on the appeal of the products and their intent to
 purchase them again in the fall of 2008, and the 2009 Best New U.S.
 Products will be announced in early 2009. BrandSpark International, an
 independent brand strategy and market research firm, is responsible for
 developing and managing the BNPAs, which has been in existence for five
 years in Canada. U.S. companies wanting to submit products for
 consideration may do so by visiting http://www.BestNewProductAwards.com.
 
     "Our research shows that consumers are overwhelmed with the number of
 new products launched every year. Winning a Best New Product Award is like
 having thousands of friends recommend a new product," says Robert Levy,
 president of BrandSpark.
 
     An independent research study conducted by IMI International found that
 eight out of 10 Americans would be interested in trying a product that had
 been voted a Best New Product by thousands of consumers.
 
     Products entered by manufacturers are placed in 3 main categories:
 food, personal care and household care. The 2008 Best New Products from
 Canada include: Gillette Venus Breeze, Crest Pro-Health toothpaste, Ziploc
 Brand Zip 'n Steam Bags, Febreze Noticeables, Lipton White Iced Tea, Quaker
 Crispy Delights and Ocean Spray Juice Blends.
 
     "The Best New Product Awards are relevant to P&G because they allow us
 to showcase our innovation with real consumer insights and strong media
 partnerships. BrandSpark has developed an effective marketing and PR
 program in Canada which will surely be successful in the U.S.," said Gord
 Myer, business unit director, Procter & Gamble Household Care Business
 Unit. In the 2008 Canadian Awards, P&G brands Gillette, Crest and Febreeze
 were honored for new products.
 
     In addition to publicizing the winners in the magazine and on BHG.com,
 Better Homes and Gardens will create a unique microsite for the BNPAs that
 will allow consumers to provide feedback and input about the winning
 products, adding to the validity of the BNPAs. This interactivity will also
 allow marketers the option of tapping into the large pool of Americans
 interested in trying new products.
 
     "The Best New Product Awards are a unique opportunity to share the most
 up-to-date peer product reviews with our readers and Web site users," said
 Alain Begun, associate publisher, marketing and brand development, Better
 Homes and Gardens. "The Awards also provide a unique opportunity to help
 marketers understand why their products won and, more important, why their
 products are appealing to consumers."
 
     In addition to Better Homes and Gardens, the Product Development and
 Management Association has signed on as a lead sponsor of the BNPAs. The
 PDMA is non-profit association focused on innovation and new product
 development.
 
     Methodology
 
     The BNPAs will be based on independent online survey responses from
 100,000 American consumers. The sample will be representative of the U.S.
 population with 20,000 per region: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast,
 Central, and Southwest/Pacific. The data will be weighted using the MRI
 principal grocer definitions. This survey will join the Canadian annual
 survey and afford marketers a true North American perspective.
 
     A research consortium comprising three independent market research
 companies will collaborate on the study in addition to the expertise of the
 Better Homes and Gardens research team. The winners will be determined by a
 proven market-based formula comprising product appeal and repurchase
 intent, one of the most important brand metrics. The survey will also
 include key questions about packaging; current attitudes towards food,
 health and nutrition; and media usage and influence. A unique segmentation
 focused on the Early Adopters will also be developed.
 
     To submit products for consideration, companies can visit
 http://www.BestNewProductAwards.com or by contact Ryan Cull at
 RCull@BestNewProductAwards.com or 416-644-7961.
 
     About BrandSpark International
 
     BrandSpark International is an independent brand strategy firm with a
 strong grasp on consumer segmentation, innovation and new product research.
 We strive to provide strategic insights providing clients with clear
 direction and actionable results. Our commitment to gaining a deeper
 understanding of the factors influencing consumer purchase behavior is
 demonstrated through the projects we manage. The Best New Product Awards
 and the BestNewProducts.ca consumer generated web portal are real life
 illustrations of these key philosophies. In addition, they both serve to
 express BrandSpark's innovative personality.
 
     About Better Homes and Gardens
 
     Better Homes and Gardens is America's largest enthusiast magazine,
 fuelling and satisfying readers' desire for improving their home and their
 lives. With a circulation of 7.6 million and a readership of nearly 40
 million, Better Homes and Gardens is a vibrant down-to-earth guide for the
 woman who is passionate about her home and garden and all they encompass.
 
 
 

SOURCE Better Homes and Gardens