Product of the Celebrates 10 Years in South Africa.
Product of the Year – South Africa’s largest independent consumer-voted survey – celebrated 10 years of rewarding innovation and excellence in the country at its annual awards gala ceremony, held this year at The Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg on Thursday 22 February.
The atmosphere and energy in the room was electric, it was an honor to be among the guests, as we were entertained by comedian Vlismas.
Established 30 years ago in France, Product of the Year currently operates in 39 countries. This third-party endorsement programme aims to help clear the clutter for consumers, to guide them and help them find the best new products and services in their market, while also rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation.
This year’s awards ceremony was a more formal affair as CEOs and other executives across various industry verticals, including the FMCG sector and other important consumer-facing markets such as technology, petrochemicals and health products, attended the formal black-tie gala dinner.
In a celebration of its own heritage, renowned local comedian John Vlismas once again fulfilled the role of emcee on the evening, having 10 years prior officiated the inaugural event. “We were extremely excited to have John back,” says Preetesh Sewraj, CEO and Chief Innovation Analyst at Product of the Year South Africa.
“The 2018 awards were characterised by diversity, as we had a broad spectrum of winners from varied companies, with both local and international brands recognised on the night,” continues Sewraj. “Global icons such as Samsung and LG won awards, with international companies that are headquartered in France, the US and Britain acknowledged alongside home-grown brands like Hug in a Mug and the innovative Seatbelt Medic emergency device, which won the new safety category.” Cookware was also added to the list of categories in 2018, which was won by Tefal Expertise.
The full list of category winners includes:
Category
Winner
Alcohol Beverages
Strongbow Apple Ciders
Male Deodorants
Playboy Signature
Female Deodorants
Playgirl Sensuous Antiperspirant
Feminine Protection
StayFree Flexicomfort Pantyliners
Laundry Detergent
Sunlight 2-in-1 with Smartfoam
Personal Hygiene
Dettol Eventone Hygiene Soap
Cooking Appliances
Philips Viva Collection TurboStar Airfryer
Fragrances
Gold Series Pour Homme Eau de Toilettes
Home Appliances
HiSense Fridge
Television
LG OLED TV
Safety
Seatbelt Medic
Motor Lubricants
Castrol Magnatec
Beverages
Hug in a Mug
Cookware
Tefal Expertise
Dairy (Heritage)
Nutriday
Home Cleaning
Harpic White & Shine
Dairy Snack
Danone DanUp
Premium Smartphones
Samsung Galaxy S8+
“South Africa has bred a number of industry pioneers who have contributed greatly to global innovation, but those driving the most prolific developments in this regard are generally doing so outside of our country. We therefore want to foster a culture of innovation among our business professionals, entrepreneurs and non-governmental organisations to help them improve the lives of South Africans across the board.”
Visit www.poysa.co.za for more information on the Product of the Year category winners, or to register for future Innovation of the Year masterclasses.
