Product of the Year Spotlight on… 3M CLAW™ Drywall Picture Hangers

3M EMEA Portfolio Leader, Sam Burras, breaks down the components of the award-winning product for Marcomm News and why influencers love it.

• Tell us about your winning product and why it resonates so well with the consumer.

3M CLAW™ is born out of consumer insight. A common pain point when hanging heavy objects on plasterboard walls (a material used in lots of homes) is that it can be challenging to mount them securely. 3M created the 3M CLAW™ range with this in mind, allowing customers to simply push the hanger into the wall and hang their frame or mirror, with no tools needed. It can hold up to 30kg! Looking at retailer ratings and reviews, it’s become one of our highest-rated products in the category.  An added benefit is that it’s a simple product to demonstrate, which leans nicely into influencer demo videos and helps spread the word.

• How did you/3M arrive at the idea? Was there a single ‘aha’ moment?

When 3M looks at solutions and consumer needs in the mounting and fastening category, a big theme is ‘simplicity’ and the ability to hang heavy items on plasterboard walls in more modern homes. Generally, people want something quick and easy to use. DIY can be arduous, so the more we can do to simplify and speed up the process, the better. Finding a solution that wouldn’t involve using tools was paramount to make 3M CLAW™ an accessible product no matter a consumer’s level of DIY experience.  While 3M CLAW™ is not a damage-free hanging solution like our Command™ Brand, it does create minimal damage compared to other mechanical hanging solutions that can achieve a similar load weight which was an important feature.

• What trends will you be tapping into this year regarding product innovation?

We’ll continue to expand our range to meet the changing needs of DIY consumers. On the whole, people want to personalise their homes, yet there’s a wide range of abilities and skillsets out there. We believe a lack of know-how, shouldn’t hold you back from realising your interior design ambitions. Each Brand and product 3M has within this category uniquely meets the specific needs of everyone from consumers who are first-timers right down to seasoned experts. Interestingly, we’re noticing that people are becoming increasingly confident and fearless – and up for trying new things. And that’s across the board, irrespective of demographic. Everyone wants to give it a go and we want 3M product solutions to enable them to do it!

• What are the plans and ambitions for the brand/product in 2024 and beyond?

3M CLAW™ gives us access to a new technology platform for hangings and mounting. ‘Hooks’ are an exciting new area for us and we have a roadmap for future product development here. As a company built on innovation – a lot of our profit is put back into investing in NPDs and scouring for insights to create the next big thing in DIY.

• Do you have any new products that you can tell us about?

That brings us nicely to our latest innovation, 3M CLAW™ Hooks, which will launch early 2025. We also recently launched ‘Command™ XL Picture Hanging Strips and Hooks’, similar to 3M CLAW™, this range enables consumers to hang heavier weights than before but using removable adhesive to remove things damage-free.

• What impact do you hope winning Product of the Year will have on the product? 

Our main motivation for entering Product of the Year was to provide reassurance and to give consumers trust and confidence in a new product. The logo has been used on packaging and marketing both in-store, on products and online. We want customers to be assured that 3M CLAW™ can hang heavy items securely and that it has been tested out/validated by other consumers just like them.

• Describe your winning product in 3 words.

Simple, secure, empowering.

Source: 3M CLAW™

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