How CMOs at CPG companies are redefining innovation in 2025

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are under more pressure than ever. Today’s buyers want healthier, more sustainable and even personalized products that reflect their lifestyles and values. 

Yet the reality is that 70–80% of new product launches still fail, costing the industry billions each year. 

For CMOs, this isn’t just about driving awareness — it’s about ensuring product relevance, growth and measurable ROI. Innovation decisions now sit squarely in the marketing leader’s lap.

In this article, I’ll cover the cost of failed launches, how to scale innovation at speed with insights and the advantage of true connected learnings for CMOs in the CPG space. 

TL;DR for CMOs

• CPG innovation is higher-stakes than ever with 70–80% of launches failing.

• Failed launches can cost $100M+, leaving boards demanding ROI proof.

• AI + rapid consumer testing makes ideation, validation and reporting faster and more accurate.

• A single platform with continuous learning gives CMOs clarity and confidence to scale the winners and stop losses early.

When a global product launch fails, the cost can exceed $100 million once you factor in development, distribution and marketing. Take that in — 100 million dollars!

Because of these high stakes, boards are no longer satisfied with vague promises of consumer interest. They expect proof that every dollar invested in innovation will translate into sustainable growth. 

The challenge? Traditional research cycles are too slow, too siloed and too disconnected from consumer reality to deliver answers at the speed of modern markets.

But the game is changing. With AI-driven innovation tools, CPG CMOs can now move from idea to market validation in a fraction of the time. 

This is where tools like Zappi’s connected consumer insights platform comes in. 

For example:

• Zappi’s AI Concept Creation Agents can generate product ideas in as little as 5 minutes, all informed by consumer preferences and market signals.

• The platform’s rapid, predictive testing delivers insights that are up to 60% more accurate than legacy methods.

• Zappi’s AI Quick Reports help surface actionable insights immediately so you can save time analyzing data.

• Platform users have access to fresh cultural norms and benchmarks across categories and geographies to ensure relevance, even in fast-shifting markets.

This shift and these AI options means CMOs no longer have to gamble months and millions before knowing if an idea has traction — they simply need to turn to a modern consumer insights platform they can rely on.

The real advantage comes when insights are no longer in the form of one-off reports, but part of a living, breathing system of learning. 

With a continuous, connected insights platform approach:

• All past innovation data is centralized, making every new decision smarter and faster.

• Predictive insights from past learnings reduce the risk of failure across categories and markets.

• CMOs gain the clarity to cut losses early, double down on winners and scale consumer-led innovation globally.

In other words, innovation becomes less about chance and more about confidence. 

This is where Zappi excels — empowering CMOs to prove ROI to the board while unlocking consistent, consumer-driven growth.