2010 Innovation, Business & Technology Awards

Over the past few years, doing business as usual just hasn't cut it. To maximize growth opportunities in today's economy, consumer goods companies must think outside of the box. CGT's 2010 Innovation, Business & Technology Awards recognize 15 consumer goods companies that have done just that in one of the five award categories, which are presented on the following pages. The award selection process started in July 2010 when CGT collected nominations from its readers. Five finalists in each category were selected, and from there, CGT's Research and editorial Advisory Board members voted to determine one winner and two outstanding achievers in each category. Here, we provide you with a glimpse into the projects that make winners out of these 15 inspiring companies.

 
 

This award honors the consumer goods industry's most innovative new product launched in 2009/2010.

 

 

WINNER

To help people find customized solutions for their tired, achy feet, Merck Consumer Care announced the nationwide availability of Dr. Scholl's Custom Fit Orthotic Centers in June 2010. The kiosks use revolutionary FootMapping technology with over 2,000 pressure sensors to identify your arch type and the areas of your foot where you put the most pressure. Then it recommends the specially designed Custom Fit Orthotic Insert that's best for your feet.

 

 

Outstanding Achievement

This innovation from The Procter & Gamble Company attaches to the inside of your dryer, freshening every load automatically for two to four months. The product was an instant hit. Within its first month, the Bounce Dryer Bar accounted for more than 10 percent of the brand's retail sales in all outlets and close to 25 percent of Bounce sales among top customers with distribution.

 

Newell Rubbermaid's Sharpie brand changed the pencil business in August 2010 by revolutionizing the classic, tried and true writing instrument with cutting-edge liquid graphite technology. The Sharpie Liquid Pencil writes like a pen but erases like a pencil for up to three days.

 

 

 

 

This award honors the consumer goods company that has continually driven growth through product and/or process innovation in 2009/2010.

 

 

WINNER

MooBella's disruptive technology has the potential to change the $60-billion global ice cream industry. Simply put, the MooBella Ice Creamery is the ATM of ice cream. This machine allows consumers to choose from 96 possible combinations through a computer touch screen, and in three easy steps, make their own cup of fresh, hard-scoop ice cream from a menu of two varieties, 12 flavors and three mix-ins. As of November 2010, 45 MooBella machines are serving ice cream in diverse locations, with new machines being added every week.

 

 

Outstanding Achievement

Aside from instigating a trend in fashionable diapers with its Huggies Little Movers Jean Diapers, the company also boosted its sustainable product line with Huggies Pure & Natural diapers in April 2009. In the feminine protection category, the company is breaking new ground with U by Kotex.

 

PepsiCo is focused on developing new products that are unique, differentiated and natural. It's rethinking its portfolio to provide healthier food and beverage choices and changing the way it sources, makes, packages and delivers products to minimize its impact on the planet. The company is also implementing fresh, new ways to give back to local communities with programs like the Pepsi Refresh Project.

 

 

 

 

 

Presented to a small to mid-size consumer goods firm (under $1 billion in annual revenue) that is best utilizing technology to achieve substantial growth in size and/or revenue.

 

 

WINNER

This is consumer packaged goods capitalism with a conscience at its finest. Project 7 Inc. sells bottled water, gum, mints and t-shirts, and then donates more than 50 percent of its profits to help seven critical areas of need in the world: 1. House the Homeless 2. Feed the Hungry 3. Save the Earth 4. Help those in Need 5. Build the Future 6. Hope for Peace 7. Heal the Sick.

 

"There is a shift going on in the marketplace. People want more out of the brands that they support. This movement is not a goal in itself to 'get people to buy more stuff', but instead, to change how they buy," says Tyler Merrick, Founder, Project 7.

 

 

Outstanding Achievement

Alice.com's e-commerce platform allows CPG manufacturers to create branded storefronts that make it easy for the mainstream consumer to buy household goods online. Site traffic has doubled each month since launch and it now has more than two million unique visitors to the site. The company recently joined Buy.com's marketplace of name brand sellers and partnered with EXPO TV, which allows visitors to access hundreds of short, unbiased consumer review videos.

 

Trading in China since 1978, Mad Bomber is the original and world's largest Bomber hat manufacturer. Aside from promoting free enterprise in China, it switched to using recycled fabrics and products, organic cloth, vegetable or soy dyes and low impact accessories while still supplying cool new products to customers in 2010. The company also effectively uses new technology to streamline and radically change customer service, Web site, cloud computing, social media, marketing, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

Named in honor of the supply chain visionary, this award is presented to a consumer goods firm for excellence in executing improvements in supply or demand planning, warehouse management, transportation management, S&OP processes or supply chain network design.

 

 

WINNER

Newell Rubbermaid launched a sales and operations planning (S&OP) improvement initiative in 2008 that delivered double-digit decreases in inventory, significant gains in forecast accuracy, higher inventory turns and improved customer service levels throughout its global businesses.

 

"Our recent supply chain optimization initiative allows Newell Rubbermaid to drive best cost and greater efficiency across the organization, which enables us to better partner with our retail customers," says Director of Supply Chain Andrew Downard.

 

The S&OP initiative also helped generate 30 percent more cash in 2009 for a total of $603 million despite the economic downturn.

 

 

Outstanding Achievement

The CPG giant deployed Terra Technology's Multi-Enterprise Demand Sensing to provide visibility into actual shifts in product movement and decrease forecast error. Now deployed in North America, Europe and Asia, the project increased forecast accuracy more than 16 percent over and above the 25 percent to 45 percent increase P&G experienced when the company implemented a Demand Sensing solution in 2008.

 

 

Conair co-developed a compliance management system with Enterra Solutions that identifies shipments in advance to customers that are "at risk" of not being compliant with shipping rules.

 

"Enterra's solution enables us to focus on positive collaboration with retail partners rather than spending valuable interactive time discussing penalties and deductions," says Jon Harding, CIO, Conair.

 

It is now offered to the CPG industry as an SaaS solution on a subscription basis.

 

 
 

 

 
 

Presented to a consumer goods firm that is best leveraging a solution to manage customer relationships, trade spend, marketing and/or consumer insights.

 

 

WINNER

AB InBev uses a fully mobile enterprise application platform from Spring Wireless, Inc. for direct store delivery (DSD) activities such as field sales and delivery within select countries in Western Europe. As a result, Anheuser-Busch InBev saw positive cash flow by the third month, and full return on investment was achieved in six months. The mobile solution is now supporting the entire process between warehouses/depots and the point-of-sale, mobilizing the entire work flow, including order dispatching, truck loading, delivery, pick-up, payment, depot return, unloading, stock checking and data processing.

 

 

Outstanding Achievement

Clorox implemented a comprehensive Demand Signal Repository (DSR) called Trade Answers to support its demand-driven business strategy. Business benefits include enabling Clorox to become demand driven by connecting demand creation drivers to demand fulfillment activities; improved product and category profitability; improved operational efficiency; and insight into competition dynamics.

 

 

Kellogg deployed mobile retail solutions to improve the service levels of more than 2,000 territory managers at retail. The efficiencies gained provide headquarters near "real time" visibility into orders and store conditions leveraging wireless and cell networks. The mobile platform will continuously evolve to meet the needs of the organization, including flexible surveys and promotional compliance tracking and management.