Ep 215: AKNF - How Unilever Launches New Products in 39 Days with Selina Sykes, Elliot Roazen and Rob and Dan from Pilothouse.
DTC Podcast · with Selina Sykes & Elliot Roazen · July 1, 2022 · 37 min
Summary
Unilever is revolutionizing its product launch strategy by adopting a streamlined, iterative process through its Uncovery Division, drastically reducing launch times to as little as 39 days. This episode reveals how the CPG giant is leveraging partnerships and an Amazon-first approach to challenge traditional playbooks, fostering rapid innovation and data-driven decision-making for new products.
Key takeaways
Unilever's Uncovery Division prioritizes speed and iteration, launching new products in as little as 39 days by challenging traditional, slow-moving CPG product development cycles.
Leverage strategic partnerships, like Unilever's collaboration with Pilothouse and their Amazon team, to gain external expertise and accelerate specific aspects of the launch process, especially in specialized areas like marketplace entry.
Adopt an "Amazon-first" strategy for new product introductions to quickly test market viability, gather consumer insights, and adapt product offerings based on real-time performance data.
Shift from a traditional, linear product development model to a more agile, iterative process that emphasizes rapid prototyping and continuous learning to adapt to fast-changing consumer demands.
De-risk new product investments by testing niche concepts and leveraging smaller runs on platforms like Amazon before committing to large-scale retail distribution. This allows for quicker market validation and reduces the financial exposure of failed launches.
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup Welcome to All Killer No Filler on the DTC Podcast. When we first started DTC Podcast, we quickly realized we'd captured the right audience when Elliot from Unilever's Uncovery first reached out. Since then we've stayed in close touch, and have even found a way to partner with the CPG giant, to help launch new products with their Uncovery Division, run by VP New Business Development Selina Sykes. Today we went deep on how Unilever thinks about new business development, why they're throwing out the century-old playbook on how to launch new products, and going with a much more streamlined, iterative, and innovated process that Selina and Elliot are pioneering with help from expert vendor's like Pilothouse's Amazon team. Work with Pilothouse ➝ https://directtoconsumer.co Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup
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Unilever's Uncovery Division prioritizes speed and iteration, launching new products in as little as 39 days by challenging traditional, slow-moving CPG product development cycles.
What does this episode say about amazon & marketplaces?
Leverage strategic partnerships, like Unilever's collaboration with Pilothouse and their Amazon team, to gain external expertise and accelerate specific aspects of the launch process, especially in specialized areas like marketplace entry.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Adopt an "Amazon-first" strategy for new product introductions to quickly test market viability, gather consumer insights, and adapt product offerings based on real-time performance data.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Shift from a traditional, linear product development model to a more agile, iterative process that emphasizes rapid prototyping and continuous learning to adapt to fast-changing consumer demands.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
De-risk new product investments by testing niche concepts and leveraging smaller runs on platforms like Amazon before committing to large-scale retail distribution. This allows for quicker market validation and reduces the financial exposure of failed launches.
