With a family of seven, I do a lot of shopping. In fact, as much as I try to plan my trips and combine my lists so that I only have to make a trip to the store every once in a while, I will inevitably forget something and have to make another trip. Which, honestly works out ok because we’re usually getting low on milk by that point…
Product of the Year Awards
Did you know that every year consumers can vote on the most innovative products? Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Enter Your Product: Brands can enter a product which they believe demonstrates an innovative feature that somehow makes consumers’ lives better or easier.
Step 2: Jury Preview: A Jury of distinguished industry professionals is invited to review the submitted products to ensure that the innovation criteria are met.
Step 3: Consumers Vote: 60,000 American shoppers representing the country’s population decide which products are the best in their category.
2011 Product of the Year Award Winners
A few weeks ago, we were sent a cornucopia-like package of all of the 2011 Product of the Year Award Winners. Some of the products were things that my family had already discovered and others were new finds for us. Here is a list of the 2011 winners within 22 categories:
- PERSONAL CARE – Speed Stick® and Lady Speed Stick® Stainguard® Antiperspirant Deodorant – Colgate-Palmolive Company
- TOOTHPASTE – Aquafresh® iso-active® Whitening – GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
- MOUTHWASH – LISTERINE® ZERO™, Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc.
- FEMININE PRODUCTS – U by Kotex – Kimberly-Clark Corporation
- CANDY & SNACKS – M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies – Mars Chocolate North America
- FROZEN FOOD – Lean Cuisine® Market Creations – Nestlé USA
- SPECIALTY FOODS – BUITONI® Riserva Frozen Complete Meals for Two – Nestlé USA
- COOKING SPICES – Recipe Inspirations – McCormick & Company, Inc.
- BEVERAGE – Lipton Brisk – Pepsi-Lipton Partnership
- HAIR CARE – Pantene Pro-V Customized Solutions – Procter & Gamble
- HAIR STYLING – Pantene Pro-V Customized Solutions Stylers & Treatments – Procter & Gamble
- BABY CARE – Pampers Cruisers & Swaddlers – Procter & Gamble
- MALE GROOMING – Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Razor – Procter & Gamble
- AIR CARE – Air Wick Air Freshener – Reckitt Benckiser
- PERSONAL HYGIENE – LYSOL® Healthy Touch® No-Touch Hand Soap System – Reckitt Benckiser
- BREAKFAST – Jimmy Dean® Hearty Sausage Crumbles – Sara Lee
- COOKING – Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil – Sovena USA
- INSECTICIDE – Raid Max® Bug Barrier – S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
- PET FOOD – TEMPTATIONS® MixUps Treats for Cats- Mars Petcare U.S.
- PET HEALTH – GREENIES® JointCare Treats – The Nutro Company
- COSMETICS – MD Lash Factor Eyelash Conditioner – La Canada Ventures, Inc.
- AT HOME BEAUTY TREATMENT – no!no! Hair 8800 – Radiancy, Inc.
The Franklin Family’s Personal Favorites:
M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies – Does it surprise anyone that my favorite product was the Pretzel M&M’s? Now, interestingly, I hate pretzels. My kids think I’m insane. They don’t understand how anybody would NOT like pretzels. Eh. Even the smell of pretzels makes me gag. However, I gave Pretzel M&M’s a try after hearing a glowing report from a good friend and I was totally and completely hooked. They are the ONLY way I will eat pretzels.
Pantene Pro-V Customized Solutions – KitKat (my 14 year old) and I have been LOVING the shampoo, conditioner, and hair care products. KitKat loves them so much that she routinely sticks her hair in my face and says, “Mmm! Doesn’t my hair smell so good?!”
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Razor – This is a product that KitKat adopted as soon as the package was opened. I know it says “Male Grooming” but what woman doesn’t want a little help with shaving her legs? I think the battery operation is revolutionary.
LYSOL® Healthy Touch® No-Touch Hand Soap System – My kids went bonkers when I showed them how the no-touch automatic soap dispenser worked. All of the sudden they wanted to wash their hands all the time. My only complaint is that it pumps out more soap than I would normally use.
The products that didn’t work so well for us:
LISTERINE® ZERO™ – I use mouthwash daily, as do a few of my kids. Reese used the mouthwash before me, and her comment was “I kind of LIKE the feeling of mouthwash burning. I miss it.” I was not a huge fan of the flavor or the after-taste.
Aquafresh® iso-active® Whitening – This is another product that KitKat adopted as her own. She was initially drawn in by the cool design but later told me that too much toothpaste came out with each pump and that it continued oozing after to create a little bit of a mess.
I couldn’t really test out the pet products or the Lipton Brisk, as I don’t own a pet or drink tea…but I was able to pass those on to people who could appreciate them.
Have you used and loved (or hated) any products that you think should be on next years list?
2012 Product of the Year Call to Entry is open for all consumer packaged goods.
Please note: I received the products listed above to test out and have provided my honest opinion after using them in my home. No other compensation was received.
© 2011, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
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I gave my middle child the automatic hand soap pump as a present last year for Christmas. It was an instant hit and keeping it refilled has become the problem. I agree it does give a little bit too much soap, or maybe we just don’t use enough. :)