Frequently Asked Questions

How are the products that are part of the program selected?

Every year, we open the Best New Product Awards to all manufacturers to enter their new food, health and beauty, and household care products. We also ensure we include categories most relevant to current consumer trends and attitudes.

How do the products win? Who votes? How are the categories set?

Real consumers from across the country are invited to vote on the products via an online survey. Over 60,000 consumers are involved in the BrandSpark / Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study. We conduct an extensive screening to ensure the voters are the principal shoppers for their home and purchase products in the category they are voting on.

We have developed a proprietary scoring system that is based on real shoppers who have actually purchased the product and are prepared to purchase it again - a very high standard. Each product receives a score, a percentage of which is based on the repurchase intent of those consumers who have tried the product and the other percentage is based on how appealing shoppers find the product to be. Each product is part of a category, which consists of a minimum of three products from at least two different manufacturers; this ensures no one company can buy a win. The result is that this is the most credible new product awards program.

Are there costs to participate?

Each manufacturer pays a nominal $1,000 administration processing fee for each product they choose to enter. The low participation fee ensures that we have the broadest representation of both large and small manufacturers participating in the program.

What is Better Homes and Gardens' level of involvement?

Better Homes and Gardens provides editorial support for the program, including in-book and on-line editorial support, an invitation to their readers in the editor's letter to take part in the survey, and more. BHG publishes the results in the magazine and online in a special page on the BHG.com website. The magazine also runs a sweepstakes across America offering consumers the chance to win all of the Best New Products. In addition, BHG provides guidance in the development of the annual BrandSpark / Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study to ensure that the latest consumer and media trends are tracked.

What is the BrandSpark American Shopper Study and how is it connected to the Best New Product Awards?

The Best New Product Awards program was developed and is managed by BrandSpark International, an independent market research company. IMI International, an independent market research firm, is responsible for the scoring and final assessment of winners. BrandSpark is also responsible for the development and analysis of the BrandSpark / BHG American Shopper Study.

Who conducts the Best New Product Awards survey and the BrandSpark American Shopper Study?

The Best New Product Awards program was developed and is managed by BrandSpark International, an independent market research company based in Toronto, Canada with a presence in New York. IMI International, an independent market research firm, is responsible for the scoring and final assessment of winners. BrandSpark is also responsible for the development and analysis of the BrandSpark American Shopper Study.

Summed up – How would you describe your program as being different from all other award programs?

• The People’s Choice Awards for consumer products that are purchased every day
• The Best New Product Awards is the most credible, 100% consumer voted awards program for CPG products.