Nielsen Names 2013 Breakthrough Innovation Winners

Nielsen named the 14 Breakthrough Innovation Winners for 2013 at the company’s Consumer 360 event in Phoenix, Ariz., on June 4.

“What’s fascinating about this year’s Breakthrough Innovation Award winners is their diversity,” said Rob Wengel, SVP, Innovation, Nielsen. “No matter the industry or category, Breakthrough Innovation is possible where there is a vision for innovation, pervasive leadership to drive support, and alignment throughout the organization to make it happen.”

Nielsen conducted an analysis of more than 3,400 new consumer product introductions in the U.S. during 2011 to determine which products demonstrated breakthrough results. To earn the title of Breakthrough Innovation Winner, a product needed to satisfy three requirements:

• Distinctiveness – Does it deliver a new value proposition to the market?
• Relevance – Did this product generate year-one U.S. sales of $50 million or greater in Nielsen-measured channels (Food, Drug, Convenience, Dollar, Club and Mass Merchandise)?
• Endurance – Will this product achieve at least 90 percent of Year One sales in Year Two? This measure confirms a sustained level of consumer demand while allowing for some revenue consolidation during the transition from trial to repeat.

“Breakthrough Innovation companies achieve uncommon results because of their ability to pursue, shape, develop, and activate insights that deliver what consumers demand,” said Taddy Hall, SVP, Nielsen. “These winners challenged convention and triumphed by expanding or transforming categories. It is through their unencumbered, demand-driven development that Breakthrough Winners create visible separation from the pack.”

Nielsen’s 2013 Breakthrough Innovation Winners are:

• Allegra Allergy
• Colgate Optic White
• Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt
• Downy UNSTOPABLES In Wash Scent Booster
• Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies
• Magnum Ice Cream
• Milo’s Kitchen Home-Style Dog Treats
• MiO Liquid Water Enhancer
• Monster Rehab
• Velveeta Cheesy Skillets
• Reese's Minis
• Skinny Cow Candy
• Sparkling ICE
• Special K Cracker Chips

Headquartered in New York, Nielsen is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and related properties. This is the second year that Nielsen has presented this award.