COST & TIMING
Can I Opt Out Once I Enter?
Products cannot opt out once submitted. By submitting your product, you are providing full commitment to the program and any fees that may apply if your product is voted a finalist or winner of Product of the Year Canada.
What is the Finalist Fee?
All entered products that have been selected to move into research are considered “finalists”. The finalist fee is $4,020 and helps offset the cost for the comprehensive research conducted by Kantar on behalf of EnsembleIQ and the consumer survey. Win or lose, all finalists receive the full research analysis.
What is the Winner Fee?
Products that have been voted “Product of the Year Canada” in the survey of thousands of consumers are deemed “winners”. This carries a fee of $12,775 and permits winners to a two year licensing term of the Product of the Year logo. The logo can be featured across all marketing materials including packaging, in-store, advertising, promotions, digital and more.
Winners are also featured in a Product of the Year Canada media and PR campaign across B2B and B2C segments to raise program awareness and drive consumers and retailers to the Product of the Year Canada website. Campaign may include television, digital, broadcast, and PR exposure.
Winners also receive access to incentive-priced media opportunities to promote your Product of the Year Canada win across EnsembleIQ brands, including print and digital properties.
When Will I Know My Status?
Finalists will be notified after their products have been put through to the consumer research stage of the competition. Winners will be confidentially notified in December and can prepare marketing efforts to start at midnight of the Awards Night in February.
When Do I Get the Award?
Winners will be invited to the Awards Night to find out the winners and celebrate innovation. The Awards Night will take place in February in Toronto.
HOW IT WORKS
Step 1: Enter Your Product
Eligible products must be launched after January 1st, 2022. Once entered, a product is committed to the entire process. Products entered should demonstrate innovation in one or more areas, including (but not limited to) design, function and packaging.
Step 2: Finalist Determined
Once all products have been submitted, a panel of industry professionals are invited to review the submitted products to ensure that the innovation criteria are met before they go on to the consumer research. Once a product is selected for the national survey, there is a fee of $4,020. Win or lose, every finalist receives a copy of the research, independently carried out by Kantar on behalf of EnsembleIQ.
Step 3: Consumers Vote
Kantar conducts a quantitative study using a nationally representative survey of 4,000 Canadian consumers to vote products “Product of the Year” in defined categories. Consumers evaluate each product on several criteria including product appeal, satisfaction, advocacy, purchase interest, uniqueness, relevance and excitement.
Step 4: Award Show
All winners are invited to attend the Product of the Year Canada Awards Night which takes place in February in Toronto. The Awards Show marks the public announcement of the winners and the start of all winner activation.