Whether it was Halo Top®'s nutritionally better-for-you ice cream, LIFEWTR's unique commitment to advancing and showcasing sources of creativity, CORE Hydration's body balancing benefits or the thinning of Oreo's classic cookie sandwich—endurance, sales and product distinction were some of the catalysts that led to success reflected in Nielsen's 2018 Top 25 Breakthrough Innovations list for the US market. This newly released list which was powered by BASES, a new product innovation discipline within Nielsen, examines and celebrates what it takes to achieve consumer and retail success today.
 
Nielsen's annual Breakthrough Innovation analysis, the gold standard in recognizing innovation success, has been highlighting the best in innovation over the last decade. The 25 brands that made this year's list reflect a wide range of successful approaches that cut through the clutter of today's crowded product marketplace. The diversity of Nielsen's Top 25 Breakthrough Innovations prove that success comes in many different forms and strategies, as marketers continue to find new ways to make a true impact with consumers through innovation.
 
Beyond Nielsen's requirements for distinctiveness, relevance and endurance, this year, the criteria for Breakthrough success was expanded to include a broader set of strategies that successful brands employed, honoring the best execution of each. The result: a list of products that reflect strong, distinct qualities such as mass potential, longevity, brand incrementality, category distinction and appeal toward a specific consumer target. 
 
When one considers the wide variety of the products in Nielsen's Top 25 Breakthrough Innovations, there's no obvious thread except for this; each possessed the ability to capitalize on research or smart insights—in some cases, it was both. And because of it, the consumer landscape is more alluring, dynamic, and above all, represents innovation at its finest.   
 
2018 NIELSEN BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION LIST:
 
Nielsen reviewed close to 3,500 consumer products and named the following to this year's list. These products are recognized for the innovation and growth they brought to their respective categories:

Biofreeze® 
Performance Health

CORE Hydration 
CORE Nutrition, LLC