Recently Reckitt Benckiser announced the winners in the company´s global competition to come up with an innovative new product for festival goers.

So what was the “big” idea?
Who took the crown in the Decision Making Challenge?

Well, it was Sandeep Gautam and Manisha Mishra, two Indian friends who created HairSUKH, ‘the no sweat hair solution’ for their entry.
But what did they do to make their product stand out from the other interesting projects, which included body cleansing wipes and a biodegradable tent?
Their invention caught the eye of the judges for it’s simplicity, innovation and creativity.
Quite simply, HairSUKH is a useful product. It dries up perspiration on the scalp and hair instantaneously and allows your head to cool “naturally”.

And there´s more! This new product could be used in conjunction with any other hair styling products on the market.

For me, this project also stood out from the others because:

1. They thought beyond the obvious – they invented something creative, new, and at the same time, a viable product.
2. They invented a product based on a real consumer need -they researched to test its consumption potential and its acceptance. This is what we do in “real marketing life” – testing the product before launching it.
3. They tackled the competition brief effectively – they invented a new product with sales potential and planned the most important steps for launching it. They also decided upon the marketing strategy during music concerts for making the product successful (it would come in a range of fragrances and be available in bottles and sachets).

Interestingly, when asked what influenced them to participate in the challenge, Sandeep said: “”The format of the challenge was such that it had to be fun but the biggest motivator for both of us was the name: RB. It is a dream destination.
“We particularly enjoyed it because it allowed us to use innovation and creativity more than theoretical knowledge.”

And they made sure they stood a better chance than their competitors as they read this blog to learn more about RB´s culture – so important to develop a new product that fits into its DNA.
As you may or may not know, Reckitt is recognized for having one of the highest rates of innovation – with about 40% of annual revenues coming from products launched in the prior three years.

I´ve been working at RB for almost year and a half, and for me it is extremely rewarding to hear the winners say: “RB encourages people not only to perform but to outperform. It is a demanding place but it ensures it’s employees excel in what they do.”
This is really what we feel working at RB!

When asked about their winning product, Sandeep added: “The brand name HairSUKH was chosen strategically to evoke curiosity in people. It means Happy hair. We marketed HairSUKH by creating a buzz about it, did viral marketing and also word of mouth marketing. Our friends played a major role in this by using their own network to spread the message. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people involved in this win.”

Nice, isn´t it? This is what you feel succeeding in a project, not just in a challenge…

Well, If you didn’t win or didn’t take part in the competition but are interested in a career in marketing why not visit my previous blog post How to Ace your Marketing Career - or if I can help in any way just write me a line. I´ll be glad to talk to you!