Product launches are critical for brands as they just get one shot to get things right.

Are you planning to accomplish one for your business?

Launching a new product into the market is an exciting yet challenging journey for any business. They need to have the right launch strategy, marketing collateral, promotional materials, and more.

This article explores seven remarkable product launch examples and explains how you can implement them yourself.

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What is a product launch?

A product launch is introducing a new product or service to the market. It is a strategic and carefully planned event aimed at creating awareness, generating interest, and attracting customers to the newly developed offering. A successful product launch can significantly impact the product's success in the market.

A new product launch also means new packaging artwork development. Even though a new product launch can be stressful, it can also be exciting.

What are the 3 product launch stages?

The three product launch stages are pre-launch, launch, and post-launch stage.

1. Pre-launch stage

This stage occurs before the actual product launch and involves all the preparations and activities leading up to the release. During this phase, the company conducts market research to understand customer needs and preferences, identifies the target audience, and finalizes the product features and specifications. The marketing strategy is developed, and promotional materials are created. Pre-launch activities also include building anticipation through teasers, announcements, and media coverage.

2. Launch stage

The launch stage is the actual introduction of the product to the market. It involves executing the marketing plan and promotional activities that were prepared during the pre-launch stage. The product is made available for purchase, either through physical stores or online platforms. Companies often hold launch events or press conferences to generate media coverage and create excitement around the product. Sales teams are actively engaged in promoting and selling the product to potential customers.

3. Post-launch stage

After the product is launched, the post-launch stage begins, which focuses on sustaining and maximizing its success in the market. Companies closely monitor customer feedback and reviews, address any issues or concerns, and continuously improve the product based on the feedback received. Ongoing marketing efforts are made to keep the product relevant and attractive to consumers. Additionally, companies may introduce updates, expansions, or new variations of the product to maintain customer interest and drive further sales.

7 successful product launch examples

Here are some recent product launches that will surely inspire you for your next product launch.

1. EVOLVE by PepsiCo

The plant-based protein drink from PepsiCo is getting a fresh new look. They employed their in-house design team to create new packaging designs for their reformulated EVOLVE drink that is being released in new flavors.

The redesigned packaging is inspired by the outdoors, and the design matches the new flavors. In the new design, PepsiCo has highlighted the Big Bend National Park, Glacier National Park, Hawaii’s Haleakala National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. The new design shows the brand's commitment to preserving the national parks.

Highlighting the natural heritage of a region is a great way to communicate that you care about the environment. If you prioritize sustainable manufacturing practices, product packaging is a great way to show that.

2. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

The Ordinary's marketing efforts often match their branding. They have an immense focus on transparency and simplicity, providing high-quality products at industry-challenging prices. While Instagram is the staple marketing platform for a lot of brands, including The Ordinary, a TikTok video going viral made their Peeling solution immensely popular.

The TikTok user @kaelynwhitee posted a video showing her skin in a split-screen before-after video after she discovered this product from The Ordinary. Kae’s video racked up over half a million views and the brand sold over fifty thousand bottles of their peeling solution in the following two weeks.

If it is a cosmetic or a personal care product that you are selling, make sure that you use the right platform to promote the product, and that too, in the right way. Instead of creating a montage or doing influencer marketing, having a person try it out on social media is way better. The core idea is to find someone to whom your target audience can relate.

3. Garnier Whole Blends Shampoo Bar

Bottles of cosmetics and personal care products are one of the major causes of plastic pollution. Garnier is addressing that with their new Whole Blend Shampoo bars that do not require any plastic packaging. Each bar can last up to two months, and the wrapper is 97% recyclable.

What’s more exciting is that Drew Barrymore just uses this $8 shampoo bar for squeaky clean hair. According to her IG post, she shows a before-after video where just using the shampoo bar with no conditioner gives impressive results.

While plastic-free packaging is the focus of the product, the post by Drew Barrymore shows that even in a bar form, the product is just as effective. Your product does not need to be some designer skincare treatment or hair care product to be effective. If you are taking steps to reduce plastic waste and care for the planet, you will have to make some compromises.

However, if you are confident about the effectiveness of your product, and you can find someone influential to back up your claims, then your product is getting a successful launch!

4. Planet KIND by Gillette

Gillette’s one among the product lineup is called Planet Kind, and like most other brands, the packaging uses mostly recycled materials. Their packaging and products feature a Jungle Mist shade with blue and gray accents. Gillette has partnered with Plastic Bank and is helping reduce ocean plastic waste.

Planet KIND also got featured in Harper’s Bazaar on sustainable razors. Shaves are always wasteful, particularly when we use single-use razors. Planet KIND’s entire marketing effort focuses on how they are helping reduce plastic waste by eliminating single-use plastics and how they are recycling plastics.

What sells Planet KIND products isn’t its efficiency or quality, but the fact that it’s better for the planet. The brand is educating the consumer on how the purchase of their product is helping eliminate plastic waste. While it might be difficult to offer an industry-challenging product at a low price, you can always focus on how you are making the planet a better place through your sustainable practices.

5. Kindfull by Target

Kindfull by Target is a range of animal food that is free from soy, corn, and wheat. The packaging comes with colorful drawings allowing buyers to quickly distinguish between flavors. The packaging design has an aesthetically pleasing look while being functional, giving it the look of a premium product. Each pack comes at $10 or less, making pet ownership more affordable.

With the pandemic, pet adoption was on the rise and now, with the back-to-school season kicking in, people are spending more. Target is expecting to see an improvement in sales in the coming year and is preparing accordingly. This lineup of pet food feels right at home at Target, offering good quality at an affordable price.

What sets Kindfull apart is the pleasing and colorful packaging which does not look like a $10 product at all. It does look quite like a wellness product which Target uses to blend in this new product with their existing lineup of wellness products. Here, the key takeaway is that you should never compromise on packaging design even when launching a value-for-money product. The packaging design and artwork communicate a lot about your brand, and you should always keep that in mind.

6. Absolut Juice

The Absolut Juice is now a part Absolut Vodka and part natural juice with natural flavors co-created with Lizzo. It comes in Apple and Strawberry flavors and the Absolut website comes with a wide range of cocktail recipes that you can make with their new product.

The “Get Juicy” commercial feature Lizzo gained a lot of traction. Its commercial highlights how seasonal flavors can be the center of the summer party. The commercial also celebrates the first single release from the artist. The song “Juice” and the product are a perfect match.

Here, Absolut promotes not only a new product but also helps a rising artist by promoting her new song. Juice by Lizzo made it to some of the top charts globally. When you are trying to launch a new product, try to look for someone who will also benefit while promoting your product.

7. The New HARD MTN DEW

While there is no shortage of hard seltzer brands, the new launch from Mountain Dew gives the flavor of the dew of hard seltzer drinkers, a result of a partnership between PepsiCo and Boston Beer. The Hard Mountain Dew or MTN DEW as it says on the package is for adults of legal drinking age as it has an ABV of 5%. It’s one of the best product launch examples ever and the public is already enjoying its launch.

Each soda can come with bold and edgy visuals that go well with the well-established Mountain Dew branding. It comes with Original, Black Cherry, and Watermelon flavors. Each packaging comes in black with extreme illustrations of wild animals. The Hard MTN DEW is a great example of how you can leverage your existing brand identity to launch new products in the market, even though it can be extremely competitive. You can always add your uniqueness to the mix like Mountain Dew has done here.

Also read: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating the Best Product Packaging Design

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What makes a product launch successful?

When it comes to a new product launch, here are a few key takeaways:

1. Plan the launch

‍None of the mentioned product launches would have been successful without proper planning. No matter how bold and surprising the launch is to the public, there should be a lot of careful planning to ensure everything goes smoothly. 

2. Understand your audience and the competition

‍What makes your product special? Why would someone choose your product over your competitor’s? Does your product provide better value for money? Is it an eco-friendly option? These are the key questions you need to ask before the launch.

3. Focus on the design

The packaging design speaks volumes. The colors, the graphics, the typefaces you use, or the packaging material - all of these have an immense effect on how the public perceives the product. Properly manage the packaging artwork development and make sure that your packaging is error-free at launch. 

4. Reach out to the audience

Online ads, social media ads, and collaboration with musicians, actors, artists, athletes, or other personalities, can help you reach out to the target audience beforehand and understand their reaction. Like Absolut and Lizzo, YSL collaborated with Dua Lipa and released an album cover of ‘Freedom’ featuring the luxury brand and the star herself.

5. Time it right

Make sure that your product launch does not overlap with that of competitors. Timing is key when it comes to product launches. Carry out extensive market research before you set a launch date. 

Conclusion

Launching a new product offers endless opportunities for innovation and impact. Each launch here was backed by detailed planning, a deep understanding of their target audience, and a relentless commitment to delivering value and solving real-world problems.

When you decide to launch a product, take inspiration from these examples, but remember that every success story is unique and shaped by its own set of circumstances. Be creative and agile in your approach, and most importantly, never lose sight of the needs and desires of your customers.

Now that you know the hacks to crack a product launch, it is important to pay attention to the smallest of details. From error-free creatives to automating them as per constant demands, you need a stress-free product launch. Artwork Flow is your go-to creative operations tool to manage these tasks, including efficient online approval software. To know more about the platform, book a demo.

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