Walgreens Exec to Chair Product of the Year USA Jury
Colin Watts, chief innovation officer at Walgreens Corp., will be jury chair for the second annual Product of the Year USA Awards. On Product of the Year Jury Day (Sept. 30) at New York’s Gansevoort Hotel, Watts and the jury panel, consisting of industry leaders, influencers, and key stakeholders, will preview new consumer packaged goods in competition for the 2010 Product of the Year imprimatur from 100,000 American shoppers who will ultimately choose the winning products.
Before joining Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens in 2008, Watts was VP and GM at Campbell Soup Co., responsible for the core U.S. Soup franchise, and worldwide VP of Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Nutritionals, where he successfully launched new products and implemented a nutritional health care platform.
“Product of the Year is an important symbol of innovation valued by brands, retailers and consumers alike,” noted Watts. “Innovation continues to be the driving force behind new product development highly sought by shoppers. As Walgreens continues to build our reputation as a source of innovative products and services, we are constantly looking for products that have been recognized as innovation leaders in their category.”
“Colin’s expertise is unparalleled when it comes to innovation in consumer packaged goods,” Colleen Kelly, managing director, Product of the Year USA. “His involvement as jury chair will lend firsthand insight from a retailer’s perspective when this year’s competing products are reviewed.”
Product of the Year is the United States’ largest and most representative consumer-voted award for product innovation. Last year’s inaugural jury chair was Jen Klise, group manager at Minneapolis-based Target.
The deadline for product entry into the 2010 Product of the Year USA awards has been extended through August. Brands can submit products launched between January 2008 and August 2009 in various categories that fall under general areas of health and personal care, food and beverage, beauty and cosmetics and household products.
Product of the Year is once again teaming with global research company TNS to survey over 100,000 U.S. consumers who will determine which highly innovative products will carry the 2010 Product of the Year seal. Winners will be unveiled at the Product of the Year awards ceremony in January 2010, and will be able to employ the Product of the Year logo for marketing initiatives. For more information, visit http://www.productoftheyearusa.com/.
The only consumer product award that rewards innovation and is voted on by real consumers, Product of the Year began 22 years ago in France and currently operates in 28 countries with the same purpose.
Before joining Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens in 2008, Watts was VP and GM at Campbell Soup Co., responsible for the core U.S. Soup franchise, and worldwide VP of Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Nutritionals, where he successfully launched new products and implemented a nutritional health care platform.
“Product of the Year is an important symbol of innovation valued by brands, retailers and consumers alike,” noted Watts. “Innovation continues to be the driving force behind new product development highly sought by shoppers. As Walgreens continues to build our reputation as a source of innovative products and services, we are constantly looking for products that have been recognized as innovation leaders in their category.”
“Colin’s expertise is unparalleled when it comes to innovation in consumer packaged goods,” Colleen Kelly, managing director, Product of the Year USA. “His involvement as jury chair will lend firsthand insight from a retailer’s perspective when this year’s competing products are reviewed.”
Product of the Year is the United States’ largest and most representative consumer-voted award for product innovation. Last year’s inaugural jury chair was Jen Klise, group manager at Minneapolis-based Target.
The deadline for product entry into the 2010 Product of the Year USA awards has been extended through August. Brands can submit products launched between January 2008 and August 2009 in various categories that fall under general areas of health and personal care, food and beverage, beauty and cosmetics and household products.
Product of the Year is once again teaming with global research company TNS to survey over 100,000 U.S. consumers who will determine which highly innovative products will carry the 2010 Product of the Year seal. Winners will be unveiled at the Product of the Year awards ceremony in January 2010, and will be able to employ the Product of the Year logo for marketing initiatives. For more information, visit http://www.productoftheyearusa.com/.
The only consumer product award that rewards innovation and is voted on by real consumers, Product of the Year began 22 years ago in France and currently operates in 28 countries with the same purpose.