How a hand sanitizer giant launched new products in record time

The hand sanitizer market exploded during the pandemic, but by February 2021, the initial surge was settling into a new normal. For established brands, this meant one thing: innovation or stagnation.

A well-known hand sanitizer brand—already a dominant player in the space—found itself at a crossroads. They had two promising new innovations ready to launch, but launching without consumer validation could mean millions in wasted investment. They needed answers, and they needed them fast.

The innovation dilemma

The brand came to us with a challenge that's all too familiar in consumer goods: How do you validate new product innovations quickly enough to stay competitive, while gathering deep enough insights to make confident decisions?

Their specific obstacles included:

The clock was ticking. And in the consumer goods vertical, a few weeks can mean the difference between market leadership and playing catch-up.

The agile testing solution

Rather than recommend a traditional 8-12 week research study, we proposed something different: agile in-home testing via Highlight that could deliver actionable insights in under two weeks.

Here's how we made it happen:

Lightning-fast logistics

We packed and shipped the new products to a curated segment of our community for in-home testing in just two days. No lengthy recruitment periods or complicated logistics—just rapid deployment to the right consumers.

Targeted community access

Instead of casting a wide net, the hand sanitizer brand leveraged our existing community of engaged "Highlighters"—consumers who had already demonstrated their commitment to providing thoughtful, detailed feedback.

Streamlined trial process

The brand implemented a focused 3-day trial period through the Highlight platform that gave consumers enough time to form genuine opinions without dragging out the timeline.

Results that moved the needle

The numbers tell the story of execution excellence:

• 336 products sent nationwide
• 97% survey completion rate from targeted Highlighters
• 7 days from product receipt to initial data (including the 3-day trial period)

But the real victory wasn't just in the speed—it was in the depth and quality of insights we delivered.

What success looked like

In less than two weeks, the brand had everything they needed to move forward confidently:

✅ Sensory Optimization Roadmap - Clear understanding of key sensory insights to optimize product formulation. The testing revealed specific consumer preferences around:

• viscosity
• scent intensity
• post-application feel

Rather than guessing which sensory attributes mattered most, the brand now had quantified consumer feedback on texture preferences and fragrance acceptance levels across different demographic segments.

✅ Data-Driven Prioritization - Concrete evidence to prioritize products in their innovation pipeline. 

With side-by-side consumer preference data, the brand could confidently allocate marketing budget and production resources to the innovation with higher market potential. The results eliminated internal debates and executive guesswork by providing clear consumer preference rankings and purchase intent scores for each product variant.

✅ Brand Fit Assessment - Detailed analysis of brand alignment and product resonance among both loyal and new customers. 

The research revealed how existing customers perceived the new form factors within the brand's established identity, while also measuring appeal among potential new users who hadn't previously considered the brand. This dual perspective helped the brand understand whether innovations would cannibalize existing products or successfully expand their market reach without diluting brand equity. 

In other words, it revealed how to introduce new formats without alienating their core customer base.

✅ Performance Benchmarking - Comprehensive analysis across different sensory KPIs, including crucial metrics like "handful" feel and application experience. Consumers directly compared new formulations against current bestsellers using standardized usage scenarios, providing measurable data on coverage area, absorption time, and residue perception. These specific performance metrics enabled the brand to position new products accurately and set realistic consumer expectations in marketing materials.

✅ Authentic Consumer Voice - Rich qualitative insights through honest, unbiased open-ended product feedback. 

Beyond numerical ratings, consumers shared detailed descriptions of their actual usage experiences, revealing unexpected benefits and concerns that surveys alone couldn't capture. 

One particularly telling piece of feedback showed the depth of insights we captured: "I like the scent of the [Brand] Product D sanitizer. The quantity of the hand sanitizer is simple. Additionally, the dispenser functions admirably. I feel like I get an equal amount. Also, the hand feels after use. Also, there is not a filmy like residue after the hand drys, etc."

This wasn't just surface-level feedback—it was the kind of detailed, authentic response that helps brands make confident formulation and marketing decisions.

The competitive edge of speed

While competitors were still planning their research phases, our client was already iterating on their products with real consumer insights. The two-week turnaround didn't just save time—it provided a crucial competitive advantage in a market where timing can make or break a product launch.

The brand was ready to evolve both their new product development process and their marketing strategy with concrete, consumer-validated insights in hand.

Beyond the case study: A new standard for innovation testing

This hand sanitizer success story illustrates something bigger: the power of agile, community-driven product testing. When you combine the right technology, the right community, and the right process, you can compress traditional research timelines without sacrificing insight quality.

For brands facing similar innovation challenges, the lesson is clear: speed doesn't have to mean compromise. With the right approach, you can have both rapid turnaround and deep consumer understanding.

Download the full case study here.

Ready to accelerate your own product innovation timeline? The same agile testing approach that delivered results for this hand sanitizer brand can work for your next product launch. Schedule a demo with Highlight to learn more.