Loud cheering and jubilation filled the auditorium following the announcement that the OMO Auto range of products dominated the Product of the Year (PoY) awards ceremony at the glamorous Summer Place venue in Johannesburg recently.

For the seventh consecutive year,nine of Unilever’s homecare, personal care and foods products have earned the recognition and support of over 5 000 South African shoppers as revealed by a Nielsen survey of the most innovative consumer products.

OMO Auto Liquid, OMO Ultra Concentrated Capsules and OMO Ultra Concentrated Liquid held the prestigious title for innovation excellence and value for money.

“Celebrating the success of our product marketing and innovation is a rewarding feeling.

“The Omo brand team has worked tirelessly to ensure our products are well received by consumers as we continuously strive to deliver high-quality products that meet their laundry needs,” said Adley Reddy, ‎Senior Assistant Brand Manager - Omo at Unilever.

“The awards are a culmination of intense research and development. More than being a prestigious symbol on a product, they also demonstrate our intense understanding of consumers’ expectations. Thank you South Africa for your vote of confidence,” he said.
PoY CEO and Chief Innovation Analyst Preetesh Sewraj said winners were shortlisted from hundreds of products based on a company’s ability to reinvent consumer science, resulting in quality products.
He said 35 innovative products in total were identified in the 2015 leg of the research.

“Consumers in South Africa are highly discerning, which is something that the survey reiterates to local and international brand owners. International companies tend to launch products in developing markets that are a generation or two behind those available in developed markets. We work to try and get South Africans the best products that companies have in their portfolios,” added Sewraj.
The intensive judging process was based on months of rigorous research and conducted exclusively by independent research company - Nielsen.
Through its #brightfuture agenda Unilever has committed to taking responsibility for the company’s impacts right across the value chain, from the sourcing of raw materials all the way through to the consumer’s use of their products - to cook, clean and wash.

The company has set itself a target todouble the size of the business, whilst reducing its environmental footprint and increasing positive social impact by 2020.

As a winning brand, OMO will be able to use the Product of the Year logo on various communication vehicles, to highlight the endorsement it has received from the South African public.