NIQ joined forces with Unilever to demonstrate how AI is revolutionizing product development at Pangborn 2025
AI is no longer just a tool — it’s a catalyst for transformation. Last week, at the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, the premier event for researchers and industry professionals focused on sensory and consumer science, NIQ’s Innovation team joined forces with Unilever to demonstrate how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing product development — helping brands move faster, smarter, and closer to what truly delights consumers.
Together, the companies showcased how AI is reinventing innovation by enhancing, and replacing, traditional analytics and consumer testing with faster, smarter solutions. Unilever wowed the audience with a live sensory experience, revealing how AI helped enhance the fragrance of one of its leading Personal Care products. Attendees were invited to smell both the original and the newly optimized versions — a powerful demonstration of how data-driven decisions can elevate product appeal.
“Experimentation, and development, once costly and slow, is now streamlined. With NIQ’s innovation solutions, working hand-in-hand with our perfumers, we can develop test and refine fragrances faster, to delight the consumer.”
Laura Hutcheon, Fragrance Consumer Technical Insight Manager at Unilever.
At the heart of this is NIQ’s AI Product Developer, which for some clients, has reduced development time by 65%. Powered by NIQ’s vast sensory data, it enables clients to rapidly screen and optimize new formulations — resulting in better-performing products that resonate with consumers.
“NIQ is proud to partner with industry leaders like Unilever to push the boundaries of innovation — turning consumer intelligence into insights, and ideas into impact,” said Chris Sinclair, Global Innovation Lead, at NIQ Strategic Analytics & Insights.
About NIQ
NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.
For more information, please visit www.niq.com