Driving Customer-Centricity Through Innovation with Advanced Analytics

The Challenge

Reckitt needed a structured approach to assess and optimise the success of its new product development (NPD) initiatives after launch while fostering customer-centric choices.

Historically, the focus was primarily on short-term sales and in-store execution, which did not provide a holistic view of a product’s long-term potential and impact.

This lack of a consistent post-launch measurement framework resulted in missed opportunities for course correction and growth, ultimately limiting the value of NPD investments.

The Solution

The NPD post-launch initiative was led at Reckitt with a comprehensive Post-Launch Playbook developed to provide a robust framework for evaluating new product success and embedding customer insights at the heart of the decision-making.

The approach was applied in the Nurofen brand serving as a flagship case study. A key component of the solution was the Advanced Analytical Module, which was critical for measuring NPD success.

The analytical module leveraged a combination of quantitative metrics and qualitative insights to create a 360-degree view of each launch. It integrated multiple data sources, such as consumer feedback surveys, sales performance, social listening, video ethnographies and competitive benchmarking, to assess NPD performance across four key dimensions: awareness, conversion, repeat purchase, and advocacy.

This approach enabled deeper analysis to uncover drivers of success and areas for improvement. The scenario modelling played a key role by simulating various strategic adjustments (e.g., price changes or enhanced marketing support) and predicting their potential impact on sales and consumer sentiment. This agility allowed the team to make data-driven course corrections in real-time, maximising NPD impact and minimising risk.

The Results

Nurofen’s post-launch tracking revealed strong performance across key metrics:

• Achieved a +30 basis points increase in market share within five months, surpassing the initial forecast.

• Attained a high repeat purchase rate of 30%, indicating strong consumer satisfaction and advocacy.

• Registered an awareness increase of 25% among target consumers, supported by targeted campaigns.

• Identified a gap in awareness among younger consumers, leading to a new digital strategy that resulted in a 15% improvement in brand perception in this segment.

• Reduced research costs by c.15% through strategic alignment and elimination of duplicate of research efforts.

• Simulated the impact of promotional adjustments, estimating a potential +10% uplift in sales by implementing optimised pricing strategies.

The Impact

The post-launch initiative transformed how Reckitt measures and optimizes NPD impact, providing a 360-degree view of product performance.

The structured evaluation process not only drove incremental sales growth but also set a new standard for quantifying innovation success, ensuring that new launches deliver long-term value and strategic alignment across global markets.

By leveraging advanced analytics, the NPD teams gained the agility to adapt strategies based on measurable customer insights, securing a stronger market position and increasing ROI for new product launches.

* Results were altered due to confidentiality.