MANILA, PHILIPPINES — NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, is proud to unveil its latest insights, showcasing how innovation remains the cornerstone of business growth. During an exclusive event in in the Philippines, NIQ BASES celebrated the winners of the 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Awards, honoring brands that have disrupted the market and captivated consumers with exceptional new product launches.
These award-winning products launched between 2022 and 2023 and have successfully navigated an ever-evolving consumer landscape.
Driving growth through innovation
In today’s fast-evolving marketplace, where consumer expectations shift rapidly and market conditions remain unpredictable, innovation continues to be the driving force behind sustainable growth. According to NIQ BASES, top innovators in Southeast Asia achieve four times higher velocity and double the distribution in their launch year compared to category averages for new launches. This demonstrates how strategic innovation can propel brands ahead of the competition.
“Launching successful innovations remains one of the most effective ways to achieve both consumer-led brand growth and retailer acceptance,” said Gautam Seth, Vice President at NIQ BASES. “The 2024 winners demonstrated strong sales in their launch year and the lasting power of their innovations over time. This list celebrates the best of what FMCG manufacturers are able to accomplish to drive growth and show what is possible when we pair a great idea with a superior product and strategic activation. The success of these marketers validates that innovation done well can be the growth engine even in a challenging economic environment.”
NIQ BASES empowers FMCG brands with cutting-edge insights to fuel product development, brand renovation, and go-to-market activation. With over 100 patents and a database of 500,000 evaluated innovations coupled with significant R&D investment in AI, Neuro and Agile platforms, NIQ offers unparalleled expertise in market dynamics and actionable strategies for success.
Celebrating breakthrough innovators
This year’s winners of the Breakthrough Innovation Awards exemplify excellence in execution, with products that not only broke through the marketplace clutter, but also addressed evolving consumer needs. Winning products in Southeast Asia saw on average a remarkable 56% increase in sales during their second year compared to their first – a testament to the power of purposeful innovation.
Since 2012, more than 900 brands globally have been recognized with this prestigious honor, including around 600 innovations in Asia Pacific across categories like Food & Beverages (60%) and Personal & Home Care (37%).
The 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Award Winners in the Philippines are:
- “OFF! Baby” by S.C. Johnson & Son Inc.
- “Blend 45 Malunggay” by Universal Robina Corporation
- “Cream Silk Treatments” by Unilever
- “NIVEA Extra Bright Super 10 Body Serum” by Beiersdorf Philippines Inc.
The Wavemakers category recognizes promising new product launches that have demonstrated strong market velocities and potential for future success.
The 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Award Wavemakers in the Philippines are:
- “Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Original” by The Coca-Cola Company
- “Jack ‘n Jill Nova Greens” by Universal Robina Corporation
- “Dewberry Yogurt Cake” by Universal Robina Corporation
- “Selecta Bites Time! Vanilla Toffee & Caramel” by Unilever
Each winner showcases how a Good Idea, a Good Product, and Effective Activation – the three guiding principles of NIQ BASES – can deliver exceptional marketplace success.
Emerging innovation trends
The 2024 Breakthrough Innovation analysis highlights significant opportunities for brands in Southeast Asian markets to drive growth in the future, including:
- Health & Wellness: Products featuring low-calorie, low-sugar, low-fat, or gut- health-related ingredients resonate strongly with Southeast Asia consumers, especially in the food and beverage categories. Some markets also seek functional benefits like energy-boosting and immunity.
- Cultural Inspirations: Ingredients and flavors inspired by Korean and Japanese trends are gaining momentum across multiple categories, helping brands stand out from competitors.
- Local & Customized: There is a growing demand for local or sustainably sourced ingredients in products that are customized to local preferences across categories in the region.
“These insights represent actionable opportunities for brands to address emerging needs or gaps in the marketplace to create new products and build lasting connections with consumers,” added Seth.
Great innovations solve consumer problems — and they do it better than anyone else! Harness the power of innovation to inject new life into your brands.
For more information, please visit www.niq.com
