To reflect an increasingly tech-centric world, BrandSpark is introducing a new consumer award, and teaming up with MobileSyrup to spread the word.

Best New Product Awards: Tech Edition is the first consumer voted research backed award for tech products, according to BrandSpark president, Robert Levy, and will be awarded in early 2022.

Tech Edition Award categories have now expanded to include consumers’ favorite smartphones, video games, gaming consoles, fitness devices and equipment, headphones, smart home devices, smart personal care devices, electric vehicles, laptops and tablets, SmartTVs and appliances. They will also leverage BrandSpark’s cash back and product discovery website, ShopperArmy.ca, which offers discounts at more than 100 prominent online Canadian retailers.

The Award builds on the research and consulting firm’s Best New Product Awards Program, which surveys 18,000 Canadians on their consumer attitudes toward products in 150 different product categories, and which for 18 years has largely focused on CPG brands. Beyond simply recognizing Canadians’ favourite new products, in past years the survey has also revealed insights about consumer attitudes towards product innovation, emerging trends and what drives consumers to try something new.

Recently, BrandSpark’s eighth annual Most Trusted Awards, featured nascent technologies that rose to prominence during the pandemic, like video conferencing and grocery delivery apps.

“We know that the Best New Product Awards are trusted and influential because they are based on the views of other consumers and backed by BrandSpark research,” Levy says. He adds that the company has been in talks with MobileSyrup for four months to launch the addition, and expects the sample for the inaugural awards to number over 15,000 Canadians.

Blue Ant Media-owned tech news site MobileSyrup will promote and publicize the nominees and winners with targeted communications via eblasts, newsletters and podcasts, and will have its own logo incorporated into the “seal of approval” provided to winners to promote their products.

Mitch Dent, SVP, media sales and branded content for Blue Ant Media, says that the partnership will deliver value and engagement to readers and great positioning opportunities for advertising partners on MobileSyrup, which already engages about two million unique monthly visitors.