Research best practices

Product testing research, consumer insights, and innovation best practices from the Highlight team.

• [Oct 30, 2025
  
  **Smart Packaging: Create Impactful Packaging**
  
  You’re writing a sci-fi novel set in the year 2700. One of the characters works for an Earth-based ice cream manufacturer that ships to grocery stores throughout the Milky Way.
  
  Read article](/content/blog/smart-packaging/index.html)
• [Oct 30, 2025
  
  **How to Stop Survey Fraud in Market Research**
  
  POV: You’ve got a line of frozen pizzas that’s doing really well in grocery stores, and you want to add a new option. You’re considering two possibilities: 1) truffle oil with mushrooms; and 2) anchovies with capers.
  
  Read article](/content/blog/survey-fraud/index.html)
• [Oct 29, 2025
  
  **How Simply Gum used Highlight to confidently expand beyond gum**
  
  Key success metrics
  
  Read article](/content/blog/how-simply-gum-expanded-into-new-skus-with-highlight-research/index.html)
• [Oct 8, 2025
  
  **2025 holiday season consumer spending**
  
  Looking for the on-demand recording of the Highlight Showcase session, From Gifts to Groceries ? Watch (or rewatch) the presentation at this link .
  
  Read article](/content/blog/2025-holiday-season-consumer-spending/index.html)
• [Oct 6, 2025
  
  **What Is a Consumer Panel? Benefits for CPG Brands**
  
  Does it seem like honest, detailed feedback from real consumers is getting harder and harder to come by?
  
  Read article](/content/blog/consumer-panel/index.html)
• [Oct 6, 2025
  
  **Proven Methods to Validate a Product Idea Fast**
  
  Since ideas are cheap, I’ll happily share one of my latest product ideas that I never acted upon (and never will).
  
  Read article](/content/blog/how-to-validate-a-product-idea/index.html)
• [Oct 6, 2025
  
  **How to Drive Customer-Led Growth With Product Validation**
  
  "Customers don't know what they want" is probably the most weaponized quote in product development. It's incomplete and often used in different contexts that it was originally intended. Just because Steve Jobs said it…
  
  Read article](/content/blog/customer-led-growth/index.html)
• [Oct 6, 2025
  
  **Compare Product Usability Through Competitive Testing**
  
  Competitive usability testing is hard to get right. You need to get rid of any and all bias, differentiating elements, but still keep essential USPs in. It's the new Mission Impossible, but for product researchers.…
  
  Read article](/content/blog/competitive-usability-testing/index.html)
• [Oct 3, 2025
  
  **Aelia x Highlight case study for CPG product teams**
  
  Aelia is a skincare brand born at 35,000 feet. Founder Kayla Graham, a pilot with more than a decade of aviation experience, noticed how long hours at high altitude were taking a toll on her skin. Determined to create a…
  
  Read article](/content/blog/aelia-x-highlight-case-study/index.html)
• [Sep 25, 2025
  
  **Papa Luc's Provisions x Highlight case study**
  
  Key success stats The Highlight product research platform helped Papa Luc's Provisions achieve:
  
  Read article](/content/blog/papa-lucs-provisions-x-highlight-case-study/index.html)
• [Sep 11, 2025
  
  **BITE 2025 Recap and Takeaways for CPG product teams**
  
  Attending BITE 2025 by Beauty Independent was an incredible opportunity to connect with beauty and personal care industry professionals who are all working towards more efficient and effective ways to create products…
  
  Read article](/content/blog/bite-2025-recap-and-takeaways/index.html)
• [Sep 3, 2025
  
  **Product prototype development: a testing process that's built for decision-making**
  
  You're developing prototypes that need to satisfy consumers, designers, manufacturers, and marketers. Each group needs different validation, but somehow you're supposed to make everyone happy with one prototype test,…
  
  Read article](/content/blog/product-prototype-development/index.html)