Product of the Year USA Unveils The Nation's Most Innovative Consumer Packaged Goods Of 2013

2013 Winning Products Revealed Exclusively in PARADE Magazine

New York City Awards Ceremony to Feature Special Guest Host Wendy Williams

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Product of the Year USA (www.productoftheyearusa.com) has consistently increased in popularity as the largest consumer product award that rewards innovation.  Chosen by 50,000 consumers, Product of the Year USA will honor the nation's most innovative consumer packaged goods of 2013 at its 5th annual Awards Ceremony, taking place at the Edison Ballroom in New York City on Tuesday, February 12.  Special guest host Wendy Williams will serve as Master of Ceremonies alongside Chicago's top improv comedians, Kate James and Greg Mills.

"Every year, new products are introduced into the marketplace and shoppers spend an extraordinary amount of time analyzing prices and features," said Colleen Kelly, Managing Director, Product of the Year USA. "No other award out there looks at products the way we do, and our goal is to make it easier for consumers to choose the best of the best.  Now in our 5^th year in the United States and 26th year worldwide, the Product of the Year seal has proven to make brands stand out in the marketplace."

This year's 27 selected winners were revealed on the cover of PARADE Magazine's February 10^th issue, highlighting innovation from today's top products. "Everyone is on the lookout for innovation and really great new ideas," says PARADE Editor in Chief Maggie Murphy. "The 2013 Product of the Year list provides a snapshot of America's habits, tastes and trends, and shows how companies are reflecting what consumers want. Letting folks weigh in is just one more way of giving those consumers a seat at the table." The awards ceremony will bring together senior level executives from iconic consumer brands such as ConAgra Foods, GlaxoSmithKline, Kimberly Clark Corporation, Georgia-Pacific, Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser and Johnson & Johnson among many others. 

Hosted in 32 countries, Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted program that recognizes innovation and honors the most cutting-edge, must-have consumer packaged goods in the market. Recipients of the award are chosen by 50,000 consumers nationwide in collaboration with TNS, the world's largest custom research agency to determine the winners. 

2013 Product of the Year winners are listed below in their respective categories:

• Skin Care – Abreva® Conceal – GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
• Pet Care – Adams™ Smart Shield™ Applicator – Central Garden and Pet
• Laundry Packs – All® Mighty Pacs – Sun Products Corporation
• Oral Care – Aquafresh® Extreme Clean Pure Breath Action Paste – GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
• Paper Towel – Brawny® Paper Towels – Georgia-Pacific
• Personal Hygiene – Dial® Triple Moisture Body Wash – The Dial Corporation, A Henkel Company
• Tableware – Dixie® Ultra – Georgia-Pacific
• Fruit Products - DOLE® Frozen Fruit Single-serve Cups – Dole Packaged Foods
• Vegetable – Farmer's Garden by Vlasic – Pinnacle Foods
• Home Care – Finish Quantum with New Power Gel – Reckitt Benckiser
• Children's Products – Goodnights Disposable Bed Mats – Kimberly Clark Corporation
• Frozen Vegetables – Green Giant Seasoned Steamers – General Mills
• Frozen Entrees – Healthy Choice Baked Entrees – ConAgra Foods
• Frozen Smoothie – DOLE® Fruit Smoothie Shakers – Dole Packaged Foods
• Mouthwash - LISTERINE® ULTRACLEAN  Antiseptic Mouthwash – Johnson & Johnson McNEIL PPC, Inc
• Snacks – M&M's Brand Snack Mix – Mars Chocolate North America, LLC
• Natural Sleep Aid – MidNight for Menopause – Meda Pharmaceuticals
• Candy – Nestle Crunch Girl Scout Candy Bars - Nestle USA
• Insect Repellent – OFF!® Bug Control Backyard Pretreat – SC Johnson
• Feminine Wellness – Poise Wellness Line – Kimberly Clark Corporation
• Breakfast – Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal – PepsiCo
• Bath Tissue – Quilted Northern Ultra Plush – Georgia-Pacific
• Stain Removal – Resolve All-Stains – Reckitt Benckiser
• Energy Drink – SK Energy Shots – SK Energy
• Home Appliance – SodaStream Revolution Home Soda Maker – SodaStream USA
• Liquid Laundry – Surf Liquid Laundry Detergent – Sun Products Corporation
• OTC Relief – TUMS® Freshers – GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

Beginning in March of 2013, consumers nationwide will be able to recognize the winners of innovation on overcrowded supermarket shelves by looking for the honorary red "Product of the Year" seal, which can be found on packaging, advertising and in-store displays. For additional information / hi-res images of the Product of the Year USA winners for 2013, please visit www.productoftheyearusa.com

About Product of the Year:
Product of the Year is the only consumer product award that rewards innovation and is voted on by real consumers. Established 26 years ago in France, POY currently operates in 32 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation.  Backed by the votes of 50,000 consumers, the distinct red POY logo serves as shortcut for shoppers in the supermarket, saving them time and money. For manufacturers of the winning products, the award is a powerful marketing message proven to increase retail distribution and sales by an average of 10-15%. Product of the Year accepts entries every year from consumer packaged goods that demonstrate innovation and were launched within the previous year. Entered products are then placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care, household care, etc. with a product then being chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study. For more information visit www.productoftheyearusa.com.

About TNS:
TNS is the world's largest custom research agency, delivering actionable insights and research-based business advice to its clients so they can make more effective business decisions. TNS offers comprehensive industry knowledge within the Consumer, Technology, Finance, Automotive and Political & Social sectors, supported by a unique product offering that stretches across the entire range of marketing and business issues, specializing in product development & innovation, brand & communication, stakeholder management, retail & shopper, and qualitative research. Delivering best-in-class service across more than 70 countries, TNS is part of Kantar, the world's largest research, insight and consultancy network. Please visit www.tns-us.com for more information.

SOURCE Product of the Year USA