INJECTING more “pace and rigour” into the area of new product development in Australia is the target of a new entrant into the Australian market.
Director of UK boutique strategy consultancy Real World Marketing Roger Jackson—who has formed a joint venture with Sydney research company Colmar Brunton called Real World Australia—said the local market appeared to be behind the UK when it came to focus on speed to market.
Jackson said that the UK market was very focused on fast tracking ideas from conception to launch with manufacturers working closely with key retail partners to launch successful products.
“I may be wrong, but compared to Australia, the UK operates in an environment where speed and commercial pragmatism prevail and brand managers need to look to their laurels to get the job done right first time,” Jackson said.
Jackson said there was an opportunity in Australia for a consultancy that could help clients in the key area of innovation and product development applying a “hard-nosed” and commercially-focused approach.
For the past few years in the UK Jackson has worked with major supermarket chains including Tesco and Sainsbury’s in the area of category management, helping to develop their own brand product ranges.
Jackson said that Australia was lagging behind developments in the UK market and predicted trends such as the growth of supermarket premium home brands as well as the major success of products that combined convenience and health would also take off here.
