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The essential way to use concept testing to drive innovation success

Adam Goddard EVP, Agencies & Growth ventures 02/02/2021

One thing we have learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic is that understanding current attitudes and behaviours is especially challenging in an increasingly fluid environment.

Brands need to adopt a more ‘test and learn’ approach to help build a new long-term perspective on their likely new normal.

The complexities of the situation have meant that manufacturers, have since last March, faced the difficult decision on whether research into innovation has continued or been temporarily put-on hold.

The catch is that launching new products requires significant investment, requiring long lead times, and a considerable amount of understanding of your consumer; and this isn’t easy when the environment and behaviours are constantly evolving.

Creating, screening, and testing multiple concepts will often be required to create one, great in-market success. Understanding current and evolving consumer needs and purchase drivers is fundamental to creating this product success, in terms of macro-trends, lifestyle behaviours, attitudes and emotions. There are also more functional and convenience-led benefits and personal preferences for nutrition, ingredients, pack sizes and formats to consider. For many brands, the influence of digital and e-commerce have also become increasingly important to understand.

Brands need to adopt a more ‘test and learn’ approach to help build a new long-term perspective on their likely new normal. Therefore, it makes sense to plan, by re-examining and re-invigorating NPD pipelines, as shopper and consumer behaviour has been through a larger and faster disruption than we’re likely to see again for many years.

As part of any concept proposition development within your NPD strategy, it’s important to ensure the strength of your brand’s product attributes shine through to encourage reason to buy and purchase intent, whilst also maintaining a point of differentiation.

During this current climate, when the only certainty is uncertainty, Savanta have created a suite of tools to help brands to become extra-agile without over committing time and money to individual insight projects.

Savanta Essentials is a suite of tools we designed to provide a cost-effective approach to research. It provides a standardised offer, using pre-scripted questionnaires to ensure quick access to consumer panels delivering actionable findings, combined with benchmarked data, within as little as 24 hours.

Our Concept testing tool helps you to evaluate, optimise, and prioritise concepts by identifying strengths and weaknesses, to determine winning ideas, maximise launch and in-market success. We can help you to:

  • Identify which concept is the best performing within as little as 24 hours
  • Identify purchase intent and KPIs across concepts
  • Understand strengths and weaknesses of the concept/message/pack
  • Validate the proposition to take forward to next stage of development

The key benefit of Savanta Essentials is that we do the legwork. We build a research toolkit that suits your needs, using quality data and methods, in no time, without breaking the bank.

For more information on how our Essentials range can help you drive your NPD funnel please get in touch .

To download our Essentials summary, click here 

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