Product of the Year USA Unveils The Most Innovative Consumer Products Of 2014

New York City Awards Ceremony Hosted By Special Guest Sherri Shepherd

Winning Products Will Be Featured in PARADE Magazine Cover Story on February 23rd

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Feb 12, 2014, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized around the nation for simplifying the shopping experience by providing consumers with peer-tested recommendations, Product of the Year (www.productoftheyearusa.com) today announces its highly anticipated roster of 2014 winners. Product of the Year USA honored this year's most innovative consumer products at its 6^th annual awards ceremony in New York City on Tuesday, February 11^th at a celebratory dinner at Manhattan's Edison Ballroom. Sherri Shepherd, special guest host and Daytime Emmy Award winner of ABC's "The View," served as Master of Ceremonies alongside top improv comedians Kate James and Greg Mills. Chosen by 40,000 consumers through a survey conducted by market research group TNS, winning brands have found that the prestigious Product of the Year award and its distinctive red seal can increase sales by as much as 10-15 percent.

"With so many new products flooding the marketplace each year, an advocate who can distinguish those that feature truly superior innovation is more important than ever before," said Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year. "Chosen directly by 40,000 consumers through a survey conducted by TNS, the goal of the Product of the Year award is to help consumers make informed decisions, while also encouraging brands to consistently push boundaries in order to be recognized."

The 23 winning products of 2014, along with their respective categories, include:

Baby Care: HUGGIES® Designer Tubs
Beverages: SK Energy Shots
Female Personal Cleansing: Dial Coconut Water
Breakfast: Weight Watchers Smart Ones Oatmeal
Candy: Starburst Fruit Flavored Candy Corn
Better For You Snacks: Skinny Cow Divine Filled Chocolates
Dishwasher Pacs: Sunlight® Lemon Oxi® Complex Single Dose Power Pacs
Dishwasher Soap: Finish® Quantum® Power & Free™
Eggs: Eggland's Best Eggs
Frozen Foods: Weight Watchers Smart Ones Soup
Frozen Snacks: El Monterey® Nacho Cheese Shell Shocker Taquitos
Home Appliance: SodaStream Source
Home Care: Mint-X Rodent Repellent Trash Bag
Home Entertainment: Xbox One
Home Improvement: Cabot Premium Wood Finish
Household Cleaning: Resolve Max Power Gel
Kid's Body Care: Dial Kids Body + Hair Wash
Kids' Snacks: ALDI SimplyNature Squeezable Fruit
Laundry: Woolite Everyday
Liquid Soap: Le Savonnier Marseillais All-Purpose Soap
Men's Antiperspirant & Deodorant: Right Guard Xtreme Fresh
Pet Care: Adams™ Flea & Tick Home Spray
Specialty Foods: Duncan Hines® Decadent Red Velvet Cupcake

This year's winners will once again be showcased on the cover of PARADE Magazine in its February 23^rd issue, highlighting the innovations that make these products unique. "Our readers are always on the lookout for innovation, and creative new features that simplify their lives," says PARADE Editor in Chief Maggie Murphy. "As with last year's winners, the 2014 Product of the Year list gives a clear indication of consumer interest as well as how companies are adapting to satisfy these demands. Empowering consumers to give feedback in this unique way is clearly beneficial for all involved." The awards ceremony will bring together senior level executives from iconic consumer brands such as Microsoft, Mars Inc., Kimberly Clark Corporation, Henkel, Heinz, Nestle and Reckitt Benckiser among many others.

Hosted in 39 countries, Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted program that recognizes innovation and honors the most cutting-edge, must-have consumer products on the market. Recipients of the award are chosen by 40,000 consumers nationwide in collaboration with TNS, the world's largest custom research agency, to determine the winners. Winning products will have the ability to display Product of the Year's iconic red seal on packaging for two full years following the awards ceremony, which will help consumers identify the best of the best on supermarket shelves.

For additional information and hi-res images of the Product of the Year USA winners for 2014, please visit www.productoftheyearusa.com

About Product of the Year:
Product of the Year is the only consumer product award that rewards innovation and is voted on by real consumers. Established 27 years ago in France, POY currently operates in 39 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers, the distinct red POY logo serves as shortcut for shoppers in the supermarket, saving them time and money. For manufacturers of the winning products, the award is a powerful marketing message proven to increase retail distribution and sales by an average of 10-15%. Product of the Year accepts entries every year from consumer packaged goods that demonstrate innovation and were launched within the previous year. Entered products are then placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care, household care, etc. with a product then being chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study. For more information, visit www.productoftheyearusa.com.

About TNS:
TNS advises clients on specific growth strategies around new market entry, innovation, brand switching and customer employee reputation management, which is based on long-established expertise and market-leading solutions. With a presence in over 80 countries, TNS has more conversations with the world's consumers than anyone else and understands individual human behaviours and attitudes across every cultural, economic and political region of the world. TNS is part of Kantar, one of the world's largest insight, information and consultancy groups. Please visit www.tnsglobal.com for more information.

SOURCE Product of the Year USA