2015 Winners
Activation Playbook
How to use this …
Congratulations on your 2015 Product of the
Year award!
You now have the exclusive rights to one of the most
powerful consumer based credentialing programs to help you
boost sales, distribution, awareness and team morale.
Now begins the important task of putting
your award to work.
This document is a compilation of Best Practices for
applying the Product of the Year logo across all
communication touch points.
We’ve selected activation examples from US winners over
the last 7 years.
These examples are designed to inspire your activation
planning and facilitate discussion on what an integrated
activation plan can look like for leveraging your Product of
the Year win.
Contents
1. How to use this document?
2. Activation Principles
3. Activation examples by media
•
Press Release
•
Print
•
Television
•
FSI
•
Packaging
•
In-Store / Display
•
Digital
•
Social
•
Outdoor
•
Trade
•
Experiential
•
Hispanic
Activation Principles
1. Activate at “First Moment of Truth”
The at-a-glance and intuitive nature of the Product of the
Year award makes it an effective credentialing device at
point of purchase.
2. Reference the 40,000
Consumers respond to knowing that winning products have
been voted on by shoppers like them. 44% of shoppers
are likely to buy a product recommended by 40,000
consumers (TNS Research)
3. Integrate into message
Most effective communication of the Product of the Year
award is integrated within the brand message, not merely
stand alone.
4. Not meant for the corner
The Product of the Year logo was purposely designed and
tested to “pop” and attract attention across all marketing
environments.
5. Extend the “new”
Product of the Year is not only designed to strengthen the
communication of “new”, but once the 6 month window
of claiming “new” closes, the Product of the Year logo
extends the perception of news for products in the market
Press Release
Prepare and release an
announcement of the
Product of the Year win for
distribution on February
11th 2015
Emphasize the specifics of
the product innovation and
reference that Product of
the Year is a consumer
based award for innovation
Use Brand Team quote to
integrate other consumer
related data / insights
Print
Consider a dedicated
execution highlighting the
Product of the Year award
Develop within the character
of the brand
If a dedicated execution is
not possible, note that
several winners repurpose
existing creative and simply
“tag" the Product of Year
logo within body copy
Print
Adding copy like “Voted
#1” while also referencing
the number of consumers
and the category is a driver
in lifting consumer purchase
interest
Develop an execution that
allows the Product of the
Year logo to “pop” and be
noticed
Television
A growing number of
winners are developing
dedicated TV spots to
announce the Product of the
Year win
A dedicated message allows
the spot to be executed as
a :15 and within the
character of the brand
Most winners repurpose
existing product launch
spots, tagging the Product
of the Year win as a :05 tag
End frame should be both
see / say of the award,
referencing both name of
category and # of
consumers voting
FSI
A dedicated FSI featuring
the Product of the Year logo
has proven to increase
coupon redemption
consideration by 24%
Consider featuring Product
of the Year in the headline,
announcing the award
Include category name and
# of consumers
FSI
Execute copy to announce
the award in the context of
the product innovation and
within the character of the
brand
Highlight logo and “Voted
#1” copy with the number
of consumers and category
Packaging
Registering the Product of
the Year logo on package
has proven breakthrough on
shelf and positively impacts
purchase consideration
Logo treatment is highly
dependent on available label
real estate
The required # of consumers
voting and category name
can be referenced on back if
packaging space is limited
Ensure greatest impact by
placing logo in context of
important product attribute
information or dominant
package features (i.e. lids /
tops)
Packaging
Most effective activation on
package includes a front and
back execution of the
Product of the Year logo.
Back of package logo
execution may contain more
information of the Product
of the Year award.
Side of pack execution
should also be a
consideration depending on
how product is shelved.
Packaging
IRC
Neck Tag
The Product of the Year
logo featured on IRC’s and
Neck tags is an effective
device for further driving
coupon redemption and
overall purchase interest
Packaging
Neck tags are a flexible and
cost effective device for
featuring the Product of the
Year logo. It has proven helpful
in driving coupon redemption,
and overall purchase interest
Neck tags can be expanded to
provide more information of
the Product of the Year award
Neck Tag
In-Store / Display
Winners frequently feature
Product of the Year logo on
special displays
Size of pack and available
label real-estate may require
Product of the Year logo to
be featured on display or
product case rather than
each individual package
This is also common within
some Club channels
In-Store / Display
Shipper / Display Header
Product of the Year logo
can be effectively
incorporated on header
cards for shippers / case
displays
Shelf Dangler / Violator
In-Store shelf violators also
make effective devices to
feature the Product of the
Year
2013
2013
Real Fruits.
Real Nuts.
Real Recognition!
Real Fruits.
Real Nuts.
Real Recognition!
Winner, Breakfast Category.
Survey of 50,138 people by TNS.
Winner, Breakfast Category.
Survey of 50,138 people by TNS.
In-Store / Display
In Store / Direct Mail Circular
Use Product of the Year
logo on promotional
collateral
Ensure that the logo is
featured in the proper
context of the winning
product
The Product of the Year
logo breaks through clutter
and crowded environments
Out of Stock Card
Out of Stock cards are an
effective way to maintain
credentialing
Digital
Headline copy in brand sites
can creatively announce the
win while also emphasizing
benefit language
“Fresh Taste Wins”
“We won the all-natural way”
Provide dominant use of
Product of the Year logo
Digital
Copy on site can link to
additional pages dedicated
to providing more
information on the Product
of the Year win
Banners can also link to
product pages and more info
on the Product of the Year
Program
Prominent display of the
logo is important
Social
Twitter
Build up to the
announcement of your
Product of the Year win
Engage followers on Awards
Night using images captured
at the Awards Show
Pinterest
Integrate with Product of
the Year social media
activity, giving followers
access to giveaways, etc
Blog
Social
Use the Product of the Year
logo as a device to solicit
Likes on Facebook
The Product of the Year
award can also generate
consumer engagement by
asking for their own
“review” of the product
Outdoor
Outdoor makes an effective
media for announcing the
Product of the Year award.
The headline can be simple
(“Winner”) and the Product
of the Year logo
communicates easily at-aglance.
Trade
Product of the Year can be
featured on Trade giveaways
(i.e. collateral cube) within
the context of other
product innovation
information
Several winners announce
their win — in concert with
their press release — using
a trade ad
Ad placement in the trade
pubs typically generates
added value editorial for the
winning products
CONGRATULATIONS TO
FOR WINNING
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR!
Visit FarmersGardenByVlasic.com
p033_MMR_04-15-13 33
©2013 Pinnacle Foods Group LLC
4/8/13 11:14 AM
Experiential
For appropriate products,
the Product of the Year logo
can be effectively used in
the context of product
demos / experiential tactics.
The award has demonstrated
to lift engagement with
these types of initiatives
Hispanic
Winners are encouraged to
activate the Product of the
Year logo to support their
Hispanic efforts in the US
Product of the Year will
provide an Hispanic version
of the logo. All guidelines
apply.
Winners typically repurpose
main market assets for
Hispanic adaptations
Hispanic TV