Editor's Note -- November 2005

After taking in a recent TV spot introducing the "CarpetFlick"-- yet another addition to Procter & Gamble's insanely popular line of Swiffer cleaning gizmos -- my wife and I looked at each other with what can only be described as pure, unbridled joy. With two little ones scampering around the house, cleaning up the trail of food remnants left in their wake is often a challenge. The CarpetFlick is designed precisely for those "in-between-vacuuming" moments when you need a quick, pick-er-upper. Not exactly a new concept, but to a busy parent, CarpetFlick is nothing short of pure genius. Is P&G going a bit overboard by perpetually expanding their Swiffer brood? I think this question can be answered with another: Is P&G driving top-line growth?

If You Build It, They Will Come

My point is this: As mundane as today's "product innovation" has become (Heinz Silly Squirts, anyone?) new spins are being put on old favorites and at the end of the day, this is the lifeblood that keeps the industry pumping. Building brands, consumer interest and ultimately, revenue. The November issue underscores this point by capturing today's top-earners across the industry's major verticals. As most of our Wall Street commentators indicate, the leaders of the pack remain leaders because they understand how to consistently create, build and launch new products to meet changing consumer needs. Innovation is also highlighted in our annual Shared Strategy Study (p. SS1), created in conjunction with Forrester Research and sister publication RIS News. The Study uncovers many IT-related issues facing the consumer goods and retail industries and provides an "of-the-moment" snapshot of where we, the industry, really stand on hot-button issues like RFID, Data Sync, Trade Promotions and much more. Have we built an exciting and informative issue? Inquiring minds like mine want to know: [email protected]