We’ve Seen 1,000 Product Ideas. Here’s What Makes One Stand Out.

Jamie has sat through hundreds of product pitches. I’ve delivered just as many. Some sounded great on paper. Some had slick packaging or a clever hook. But only a handful went on to launch—and even fewer had that thing.

That moment where someone hears the idea, stops, and says: “Yes. I get that. That’s going to work.”

It’s the insight.

In this post, Jamie and I break down what separates a good idea from a killer concept—and why it always starts with a sharp, consumer-led insight.

Q: What is the difference between a good idea and a killer concept?

Emma:

There are so many good ideas. I’ve seen clever ones—like light-protection bottles to keep milk fresh. That’s technically smart. And then there are trendy ones that feel timely but aren’t built to last.

What sets a killer concept apart is the underlying tension. It addresses something real and enduring—a problem the consumer might not even articulate. But when they hear it, they nod. They feel it. You can see it in concept testing. It just clicks.

You can see it in concept testing - the concepts that stand out understand the consumer and what they are living, they get it and it just feels so right. 

There is also a flaw in the market that you need to find. A consumer will always have a lot of ways to address their needs but what is missing? What is the flaw in the market that your product can address?

“What sets a killer concept apart is the underlying tension... It just clicks.”

Q: What is the main mistake people make creating a new product idea?

Jamie:

The main mistake is not understanding their target consumer first.

Their target consumer has a set of needs. That’s what the product they’re developing is meant to address.

So, make sure you have a specific person in mind that you’re selling to before you even get started.

“Make sure you have a specific customer in mind before you even get started.”

Q: How do you understand the consumer and find that insight?

Emma:

It's so important to be super curious, to really want to understand a consumer and search for deep motivation. It's through interviews, research, talking to people, social listening - there are many ways. If you can spot the pattern and put it all together you can reveal something very cool. 

How do you know it's cool? Because when you pitch it you can do it in one breath (if you can’t it's not sharp enough) and people nod when they hear it - you never need to explain it twice. 

Q: So what should you do before you go to commercialization?

Emma:

First, find the insight your product is built on—and validate it. Pressure test it. Make sure it’s not only real, but widespread. A killer concept doesn’t solve a niche annoyance—it solves a broadly felt problem.

Next, craft a clear story that connects the consumer need, the product benefit, and the brand world. If those don’t line up, the concept won’t stick.

At Catapult, we work upstream with clients to shape and test that story—through insight development, concept positioning, and rapid validation.

And finally, I always apply this filter:
Would a consumer say yes? Would a buyer say yes? Would a co-man say yes? If you can’t get a “yes” from all three, you’re not ready for commercialization.

“If you wouldn’t get a “yes” from a consumer, a buyer, and a co-manufacturer, you’re not ready for commercialization.”

Q: What if you're an established brand that's looking to launch a new product line?

Jamie:

All the above still applies but obviously you need to be looking at whether or not your product line lives within your existing brand, or if you need to define a new brand.

In addition to doing that, you need to look at where your positioning is going to be. If you're not in the same categories, you're looking at different buyers—which means you may need to rebuild your entire sales go-to-market strategy to target an entirely new selection of people.

Making sure that you've kind of put as many synergies together as you can, but still targeting that end consumer with that product experience, will allow you to be more successful in bringing this product to market.

“You need to be looking at whether your product line lives within your existing brand, or if y ou need to define a new brand.”

Q: How do you know if an idea is worth going after?

Jamie:

There are a lot of really great ideas out there that come to me through clients asking, “How can I know that this is worth going after?”

And honestly, getting back to a basic rule of commercialization: very few things are truly unique in this world.

By that, I mean there are processes and equipment that already exist in order to make a food product, based on what we understand about how it has to go together.

So, if it is worth scaling, it will resemble the assembly instructions of some other product out there.

To give you an example: plant-based egg patties are typically leavened. They’ve got leavening agents like baking powder that activate when heated, and the liquid is set into a gel that resembles the texture of egg.

It turns out, a lot of these plant-based egg patties can be made at bakery facilities, because they have the exact same equipment and materials necessary to handle them in the same way they would make a flatbread.

So, when you’re thinking about whether or not an idea is worth pursuing, always check to make sure you have some sort of analog you can relate it to when talking about your process.

The best products don’t just show up well on the shelf—they show up already understood. That’s what a killer insight does.

If you’ve got an idea and you’re not sure if it’s killer yet, let’s talk.

“The best products don’t just show up well on the shelf—they show up already understood.”

Authors: Jamie Valenti-Jordan & Emma Dunstone-Brown

20+ years in food & beverage commercialization. If you’re tackling a tricky project, odds are I’ve seen it before. I’ll be sharing the things that worked here—so you can skip the 'learning experiences'.