NPD BluePrint

Our Best Practice Guide to maximising the success of your NPD activity.

Launch Plan Content

Launch plan content is specific to each launch but typically includes the following information:

Signalling that a product is NEW and its distinctive benefits.

On product usage including occasions, versatility and (where relevant) serve inspiration.

Ways to bring the brand / product front of mind at appropriate points in the P2P.

Inspiring existing and new shoppers to consider using relevant, proven mechanics to drive sales.

We can support you in leveraging the key tools to drive trial including coupons, sampling, price deals and try me free/MBGs.

Creating and delivering ideas for multi-format displays and instore executions, as well as digital shelf launch support.

Bold, creative ideas are at the heart of successful product launches, capturing the attention of shoppers/consumers and drawing them in, with a focus on traffic driving and trial conversion. The creative execution is integral to driving immediate sales, hitting value and volume targes and helping to reinvigorate categories.

We have developed highly impactful creative ideas that sit at the heart of launch campaigns for the likes of Walkers, Weetabix, Coke Zero, Lurpak and Pringles.

Our Top 5 NPD Launch Creative Tips

NPD launches are like babies. You want the full royal balcony treatment with all eyes on you both on that shelf and online, versus a blurry Insta snapshot that even grannies scroll past. So, if you want to stop shoppers in their tracks, here are our five tips on creating bigger, bolder ideas in retail from our very own Creative Director.

A safe, middle-of-the-road campaign will (if you’re very lucky) deliver safe results. But safe doesn’t guarantee a permanent listing in today’s retail’s world. Instead, be prepared to be disruptive and different. If you want to cut-through in retail, you need to zig rather than follow the category norm’s zag.

Now you’ve got a brave, disruptive direction, let’s think about messaging. Your headline is a seven-word opportunity to draw shoppers in, so keep it clear, simple and focused on them. Forget about generic USPs or bland ‘up to 100% effective’ messages, show them the benefit/feeling/solution your new product or offer brings.

Colours, fonts, product/lifestyle photography, textures, patterns – think about how you’ll get noticed in the busy, beige, brightly lit retail environment. Sure, using cues from your packaging can be a good start, but remember that while some fonts and colours look great on-pack, they can get lost or become illegible in-store.

Now it’s time to think about the rest of your messaging. Do you really need a subline? A mini paragraph? All those bullet-points or icons? Don’t be afraid of space on POS – it gives your main message room to breathe. 

So, your campaign’s nearly ready. But before you sign anything off, does it actually work in-store in real life? Try the 10/5/1 rule. What can the shopper see at 10m, 5m and up close? Is it legible, engaging, persuasive, uncluttered?

Normally I’d finish off by saying ‘good luck with your next launch’, but hopefully with these handy pointers, you won’t need it.

If you haven’t yet seen our key learnings on successful launch plans, then please click The Launch Plan.