# Benchmark your products against your top competitors

Comprehensive competitive analysis that identifies quality gaps early and captures market opportunities — before your product launches.

## Competitive benchmarking

### Highlight AI Finding

You beat the category on scent but trail on value.

+21 pts  
vs category  
3.8  
mean score  
Category benchmark  
Overall liking, top-2-box  
You  
68%  
Rival A  
54%  
Rival B  
49%  
Category avg  
47%  
+21 pts above the category average

Built for innovators. Loved by product teams. Trusted by leading brands.

## The competitive intelligence to protect your market position

### Know where you stand

Standardized testing protocols compare your products against leading competitors — no guessing.

### Spot gaps before they cost you

Comprehensive benchmarking surfaces quality issues early in development, not after launch.

### Focus R&D where it matters

Accelerate your timeline by concentrating on the attributes that actually drive consumer choice.

## How Highlight does it

### Reliable benchmarking that informs winning product strategies

1. Comprehensive competitor analysis  
   Compare your products against market leaders across quality, functionality, and consumer preference metrics — the complete competitive picture of where you stand and where improvements matter most.
2. Detailed gap analysis reporting  
   Clear documentation of performance differences quantifies the impact of potential changes, making it easier to prioritize R&D efforts and secure budget for product enhancements.
3. Real-time performance metrics  
   Track performance against competitors with up-to-date consumer feedback — spot emerging trends and shifting preferences while you still hold the competitive advantage.

### Case study · Clorox

#### How Clorox accelerated product launch readiness

- 102% completion rate achieved in just 7 days with targeted category purchasers
- Real-time insights within a week; complete analysis within 30 days of shipment
- Competitive intelligence clarified purchase intent, price sensitivity, and shopping cart strategy
- Lightning-fast follow-up study optimized sensory attributes before the launch timeline locked

[Read the case study](/content/blog/clorox-product-innovation-case-study/index.html)

### Getting started is simple

1. Design your test  
   Define your objectives, create your survey, and set parameters for your ideal testers.
2. We ship your products  
   We handle recruitment and distribution to get your products into the right homes.
3. See your data instantly  
   Feedback streams into the platform and becomes actionable insight as it arrives.

## Benchmark against your competitors and your category

- **Formula comparison testing**  
   Unbiased consumer feedback on effectiveness, texture, and satisfaction versus rivals.
- **Market positioning analysis**  
   Blind testing maps your strengths and weaknesses against established brands.
- **Launch readiness assessment**  
   Confirm formulation, packaging, and positioning can compete before full-scale production.
- **Quality control benchmarking**  
   Set internal quality targets against category leaders and track improvement over time.

## Common competitive benchmarking questions

### How trustworthy is the benchmarking data?

Typical surveys discard ~30% of responses as junk; Highlight’s screening achieves 1–2%. Benchmarks are built on consistent audiences, so you’re comparing apples to apples every time.

### How fast can I benchmark without delaying launch?

Comprehensive competitive insights in approximately 3 weeks from recruit to final analysis — with turnkey logistics shipping product directly to testers.

### How are benchmark comparisons kept meaningful?

Benchmark studies meet minimum sample sizes (typically n=100+), defined audience criteria, and standardized questions like overall appeal and purchase likelihood — tagged by category and stage for apples-to-apples reads.

### Which attributes should I benchmark?

The ones that influence purchase and loyalty: concept appeal, sensory performance, functional reliability, package impact, claims delivery, and efficacy versus alternatives.