Nielsen Boosts Innovation Testing, Ingredient Analysis

Nielsen has launched Target Group Performance Analysis, a framework helping FMCG manufacturers to predict an innovation's overall viability and growth potential in specific segments. Also this week, the firm has extended its alliance with ingredient data firm Label Insight.

The new innovation offer taps into the company's huge BASES database to predict consumer behavior in a retail environment, and promises the ability to look in detail at 'a specific buyer and how responsive they may be to a certain initiative', to simulate the potential for the launch. Nielsen says the tool has been developed over a number of years and validated against proprietary target group databases of 10,000+ concepts among 'non-general population groups such as teens, parents and pet owners'.

Jenny Frazier (pictured), SVP of Nielsen's Innovation group, says the new tool will 'take the guess work out of targeted initiatives for our clients and will add context and confidence to targeted innovation decisions with both survival and strategy in mind'.

Nielsen has made other additions to its pre-testing offer this year - three months back, the firm launched an overnight quant innovation tool called Quick Screen.


Meanwhile, together with partner firm Label Insight, Nielsen has expanded its Product Insider solution to measure sales of ingredients and US government-regulated attributes for non-food categories, including personal care, pet food, over-the-counter medicine and vitamins/supplements. The service, which was previously only available for food and beverages, combines Nielsen Retail Measurement data and Label Insight's ingredient and attribute data to transform on-pack ingredient information, as well as drug and supplement fact panels into measurable attributes.

Ronak Sheth, Chief Customer Officer at Label Insight, comments: 'Consumers are trying to better understand ingredients today more than ever before, and not just in food categories. The absence of undesirable ingredients is actually now more important than the inclusion of beneficial ingredients'.

Web sites: www.nielsen.com and www.labelinsight.com .