For two years, the snake-bitten economy has fostered one overriding new product trend: fewer gee-whizzers. But things are changing in 2011. Just ask the folks at ConAgra, who designed a microwave popcorn bag that opens into a serving bowl. Or Procter & Gamble, whose Olay brand is turning budget skin cleansing on its head. Or Col-gate, which concocted a super-foaming toothpaste that cleans choppers with shampoo-like foam. “We’re going to see a ramp-up in risk taking,” says Tom Vierhile, director of product launch analytics at researcher Datamonitor. Even then, chief among 2011’s consumer-packed good trends are these: Keep it simple. And better for me. And cheap. “The major forces in the marketplace for 2011 are those that help consumers simplify,” says Lynn Dornblaser, new products guru at Mintel, the research firm. “Consumers are more financially, physically and emotionally stretched than ever. They are looking for ways to accomplish more — but do it economically.” The sheer numbers are on the rise, too. New product introductions began to increase last year after plummeting in 2009. Some 40,820 new products were introduced in the U.S. in 2010 — up from 38,738 in 2009, says Mintel. Many of the packaged foods and household goods that align with the new trends are coming from giants such as Kraft, P&G and ConAgra. They’ve got the deep pockets to concoct them and the dough to market them — increasingly with social media. Not only will Facebook, Twitter and YouTube be used to market most of the products behind the trends, but social media itself has played a critical role in creating the trends. It’s hard to find a new product that hasn’t been driven by consumer actions, reactions or demands. Among 2011’s top 10 new product trends — in no particular order:
1 Simplify my life
Consumers aren’t just time-pressed — we’re downright lazy. We sit at our computers or in front of our high-def TVs and look for ways to do less. The folks at ConAgra, maker of the Orville Redenbacher Popcorn brand, are helping in an outside-the-bag way. In March, they will roll out the Pop Up Bowl ($2.99 for a three-pack). It’s microwave popcorn that pops into a round bowl shape instead of a tall bag. “This is the biggest thing to happen to popcorn in 25 years,” says Jesse Spungin, general manager at Orville Redenbacher. The bowl shape means no worry about finding a bowl for your popcorn. For germ freaks, no worry about touching the same greasy bag that the gang’s sharing. With the typical household (with two kids) popping about 30 bags of popcorn annually, this is no small thing. Says Spungin, “This will become the new standard of microwave popcorn.”
2 Look younger, cheaper
Oh, how badly we want to look younger — but without paying big bucks to accomplish that. P&G’s Olay brand is about to delve deeply into the down-and-dirty world of keeping skin super clean — on a budget. All of the anti-aging moisturizers only work if they can get below the skin. If the skin isn’t clean, it’s a waste. So, this month, it will officially introduce the Olay Professional Advanced Cleansing System ($30). It’s a brush with rotating bristles that removes dirt and dead skin. The target: women over 35. P&G calls it the first budget at-home facial cleansing tool. “It cleanses like pro systems that sell for $200,” says Joe Arcuri, North American vice president of beauty at P&G.
3 Fast scratch
Just as the world of social media has made instant gratification a cultural norm, it’s also become the norm of our kitchens. We want our meals fast — but not tasting that way. With that in mind, Kraft is turning its Philadelphia brand on its head. This month, it’s rolling out four Philadelphia Cooking Cremes ($2.99 per 10-ounce container), which look like sour cream but taste like seasoned cream cheese. The move is a no-brainer. Philadelphia Cream Cheese sales are flatter than a bagel. Kraft kept pushing the line to be spread on bagels, but it discovered via social media that up to 25% of consumers were using it, instead, to cook, says Dan O’Leary, marketing director. “We’re repositioning the brand so we’re no longer tied down to the bagel,” he says.
4 Pro hair for pennies
Dry shampoo might not sound sexy. But in the world of mass hair care, it may well achieve cult-like status in 2011. It’s all about wanting the stuff celebs get — but on the cheap. Like big hair. Dry shampoos have found their way into chichi salons in recent years and are often used behind the scenes before photo shoots and red carpet events. But they can cost a bunch. In February, Unilever rolls out Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo ($2.74 for 5 ounces). The trick that celebs use as a quick way to give hair volume will now be on store shelves at a budget price. It’s actually a spray-on powder — mostly made of clay and alcohol — that absorbs oils from hair. “One of the best weapons that stylists have will now be available to consumers,” says David Rubin, Unilever’s hair marketing chief.
5 Almost homemade
How do you make a prepackaged chip dip seem somehow homemade — and even natural? Give Frito-Lay credit. It’s concocted something it dubbed Tostitos Dip Creations ($1.59 a pack). On the shelf, it’s just a small envelope filled with seasonings. The key for consumers is what they do with it at home: add fresh ingredients. Chop up an avocado. Squeeze in some lime. And voilà: homemade chip dip. “When you bring it to the table, people will think you made it from scratch,” says Ann Mukherjee, Frito-Lay’s marketing chief.
6 Flexitarians R Us
There was a time when the divisions were crystal clear: Folks were either red-meat-eating carnivores or dedicated vegetarians. But along came trends like Meatless Monday. And other considerations, like cholesterol. Enter the new world of folks who enjoy eating meat — but want less of it. Some 47% of Americans are trying to reduce meat consumption. That’s the flexitarian (flexible vegetarian) trend that the MorningStar Farms division of Kellogg has latched onto. In March, it will roll out its first complete soy-based breakfast entrees: Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuits and Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuits ($4.19 for a box of three biscuits). The target: Boomer women, says Cathy Schneck, vice president of marketing at Kellogg Frozen Foods. Some 75% of its customers eat some kind of meat — but just want to eat less.
7 Instant whiter choppers
It’s too much to ask the Facebook crowd to spend weeks with whitening strips in their mouths. P&G gets it. Later this month, the company behind Crest Whitestrips will roll out Crest 3D 2-Hour Express Whitestrips ($54.99 for four packs that last a year). That’s right. Whiter teeth in two hours instead of three weeks. Sure, it’s peroxide heavy. But P&G insists it’s enamel safe. “The biggest barrier to using Whitestrips has been time,” says Marchoe Northern, associate marketing director for P&G’s North American oral care. “It whitens without the wait.”
8 Sweet on potatoes
If 2011 is the year of anything, it’s the year of the sweet potato. The orange spud has broken away from the holiday stereotype, thanks to growing consumer awareness of its health benefits, such as vitamin A and beta carotene. Hopping onto the trend is ConAgra, whose Alexia line already owns 44% of the frozen sweet potato market. In March, it will introduce Alexia Sweet Potato Bite Sized Puffs ($3.49 per 20-ounce bag). That’s right, potato puffs made from sweet potatoes. And why not? The $147 million potato puffs segment has been flat for years due to lack of innovation, says Michael Smith, marketing director for the Alexia line. “We’re reinventing the classic by putting a sweet twist to it.”
9 Cracker chips
Think of them as Goldfish crackers — for grown-ups. One of the hot snacking trends for 2011 will be better-for-you snacks that are part cracker and part chip. Pepperidge Farm calls them cracker chips. This month, it’s rolling out Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals Cracker Chips ($3.49 for a 5.5-ounce bag). For parent Campbell, it’s about rebalancing its cracker line. In the nation’s $4 billion cracker category, its Goldfish line has grown from No. 6 to No. 3 over the past decade. But its adult cracker line is just $35 million. This is a bid to boost that. Cracker or chip? “If you press me,” says Steve White, vice president of crackers, “it’s more of a cracker.”
10 Feel the clean
It’s not enough anymore to just brush your teeth. These days, it’s got to be an experience. “Consumers are seeking products that are not just functional and effective, but also touch their senses or emotions,” says Philip Durocher, general manager of Colgate’s U.S. oral care business. Enter: Colgate MaxClean SmartFoam ($3.29 for 6 ounces). The toothpaste, available later next month, tingles and foams like crazy when used. Colgate spent nearly three years developing the foaming toothpaste, Durocher says, measuring everything from how much, how quick and how thick consumers wanted their foam.
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