Remember Gyro Bowl’s international debut just last month? Well, it seems the “little orange sphere that could” continues to make a splash across the globe, most recently with its Japanese television debut. Check out the clip below to see the Japanese-language version of our Gyro Bowl infomercial, currently making its way into living rooms, children’s hands, and parents’ hearts throughout Japan… Only further proof that a “no-cleanup snack time” is a universal language!
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Gyro Bowl Debuts in Japan!
Thursday, May 19th, 2011Edison Nation Announces 4th ASOTV Win!
Monday, May 16th, 2011We have some egg-citing news about one of our beloved members within our community!
Here’s what you may or may not know quite yet about our friend, Betsy Kaufman.
For the record, Betsy is not your traditional inventor. Rather, she’s a mother in Texas, a wife and a television producer. If you were to ask her yourself, she’d tell you as much.
She’s just someone who had a “kooky idea.”
Kooky is being far too modest. Let us count the ways.
On a chance day in a Bed Bath & Beyond store, Betsy came across “Edison Nation” on the back of a store receipt. Lucky for us, this sparked an interest. She made her first foray into the Live Product Search world with Bed Bath’s Students of Invention search. We all know submitting an idea is half the battle. The real fun enters the picture as you keep an anxious eye on your dashboard for movement. Will it go green or will it go red? Inventing is a marathon, after all.
As Betsy kept watch on her dorm room ideas, she came across an As Seen On TV search for new camera-ready concepts.
And so, it was while standing in her kitchen one early morning, watching the water boil a few eggs, that she came across her “kooky” concept. What about a heat-resistant, egg-shaped container that prevented hairline fractures? One that kept you from laboring over the peeling of egg shells, the notorious bane of garbage disposals around the country?
While anxiously waiting to hear back on her “Student of Invention” ideas, Betsy decided to submit her then-named “Egg Toss” for ASOTV consideration. She did not have a single CAD drawing or a minute of video; rather, she had a well-explained, well-written description of her egg-making concept, which was soon selected for testing.
Betsy told me recently that “Edison Nation levels the playing field between idea people and real inventors.”
We’re all happy to be a part of the leveling. But it’s Betsy and our ASOTV partner that’s going to crush the DRTV space this year, giving Edison Nation our fourth ASOTV win!
Beginning today – Monday, May 16 – Eggies is going national, folks.You’ll also soon be able to find Eggies in select retailers this summer, and in stores everywhere across the country this fall.
According to our partner, early indications show that Eggies will sell in the millions and is on track to becoming one of the best DRTV products of the year.
How about that for a “kooky” idea? It’s going to be huge. And we’re all so excited to be a part of Betsy’s exciting journey as mother and TV producer-turned-inventor of mega-selling infomercial product.
Visit www.buyeggies.com and be sure to give Betsy a virtual high five in the forums!
And from the Edison Nation team,
congratulations Betsy!
Patent Trolls and Advertising
Monday, March 14th, 2011
There was an interesting article on Advertising Age today concerning patent trolls and the affect they can have on the advertising industry. It touches briefly on the patent reform bill we’ve been discussing lately.
Swing-N-Slide, a PlayCore company, seeks innovations for their line of residential play-sets.
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Swing-N-Slide designs, manufacturers and markets do-it-yourself, ready-to-assemble play-sets for residential properties. The company strives to make the process of buying and assembling a swing set as quick and easy as possible.
Since 1985, Swing-N-Slide is known for such residential playground equipment innovations as the EZ Frame Bracket, the first residential tube slide, the first rock climbing wall and a Rapid-Loc Bracket System that makes building fast, easy and sturdy.
For this challenge, Swing-N-Slide is challenging you to create innovations for their residential backyard playground equipment.
Swing-N-Slide is looking for attachments, accessories, stand-alone play equipment and interactive experience items that encourage outdoor play. These innovations could include:
- Unique attachments to existing tower/swing sets that encourage child interaction with motion (slides, swings, spinners, ropes etc.)
- Play structures, devices or projects that stand alone from or replace the need for a swing set
- Structures, attachments that promote interaction and inclusion of multiple children (games, cooperative balance, cooperative project building, competition, two person swings, etc.)
- Architectural concepts that offer unique and protectable design elements
- Low cost, easily assembled turbo slide design (spiral and/or round enclosed tube slide). Design must attach to a 5’ deck height. Looking for minimal hardware, minimal packaging space (nesting required), and minimal assembly time.
- Concepts should be able to ship to the consumer within the following shipping parameters:
- Max 150 lbs.
- 108” length and 165” length & height combined
- Easily assembled by the consumer
Swing-N-Slide is also looking for innovations that help in packaging, distribution, and assembly of their “No-Cut” kits (using retailer 4×4 for support posts) and “Ready to Assemble” kits (all in one box kits including pre-drilled support posts). These innovations could include:
- An easier way to package playsets (including vertical support posts) to fit on 4’ x 4’ pallets
(Traditional vertical support posts measure 8 ft.; the new design requires 4 ft. post with innovative bracket system to reach the traditional 8 ft. height) - Easier installation and assembly (reduce time, frustration and tools required to assemble playsets). Possibly a no-power tool solution.
- Innovative building materials (improved plastics, metals or wood substitutes) that reduce manufacturing costs, packaging size, and simplify site installation.
- Innovative attachment methods for swings, slides, accessories, canopies, posts and beams, and structural components that reduce installation time and manufacturing costs.
Target Consumer:
- Parents, ages 25-40 with small children
Targeted cost-of-goods:
- Any additions and/or improvements to the traditional swing set design must fit at retail up to $1,200.
- Add on attachments must be packaged to fit at retail
Requirements:
We encourage you to submit a visual representation of your product (i.e., sketch or photo). While not required, we highly recommend you to submit video of yourself demonstrating a prototype and explaining the features and benefits of your submission. Please be as detailed as possible in telling us about your product innovation. As always, your submission should be unique and protectable (patent protection is helpful, but not a requirement).
To learn more about PlayCore and Swing-N-Slide please visit www.playcore.com and www.swing-n-slide.com.
The Inventor Files: FUR™ Products
Monday, December 13th, 2010
J Mikel Sacher stumbled upon Edison Nation and Everyday Edisons after a friend emailed her the press release our team sent out, and she promptly picked up the phone and dialed our department to learn more about the opportunity.
After a brief discussion, our interest was piqued. Sacher’s concept wasn’t necessarily the best fit for Everyday Edisons casting calls, but I thought her story would be interesting for our members.
Sacher story is typical of many inventors: she saw a problem that needed to be solved and set about to do so.
Sacher began her career in beauty at Estee Lauder and Aveda and took her knowledge of skin care and the beauty industry to focus on her number one love: her dog, 16-year-old West Highland White Terrier, Zachary.
“My dog was prone to yeast infections, and it concerned me that he went into this mad scratch and itch cycle,” Sacher says. “My vet recommended mild bathing products, and I went on a quest to try everything. Things were too fragrant, and he was annoyed. Like humans, their skin talks. So I created a mild skin care product for my dog that was pH-balanced. I wanted to take the best of science and nature. This product needed to naturally repel fleas and ticks, and it needed to solve problems, not create them. You need a product that’s clean rinsing. Washing a dog is actually preventive care.”
She began experimenting with her own arsenal of ingredients, and she noticed a difference in Zachary’s skin and fur almost immediately. It began as a diluted shampoo mixture with essential oils, and blossomed into a solution and business.
The products, aptly dubbed FUR™, are crafted from 100% cosmetic-grade ingredients, tested on humans, and are designed “for the discerning dog.” The products range from cleansers to detanglers to accessories and utilize high quality ingredients found in most human products.
FUR™ products can be found at department stores, beauty websites and dog emporiums.
Visit www.furdogsnyc.com
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Every month, I’ll profile an invention or product on our blog. I’ll include a biography, a story of the invention or product, and more. Email me at kelly.blinson@edisonnation.com if you’d like to have your invention or product featured in future blogs.
Remember, your product must be patented or have some form of protection if you’d like to include it in the monthly blog.
Thanks!
Kelly
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Last Chance Reminder: ASOTV Search Closes at Midnight!
Monday, November 29th, 2010
As Seen On TV Quarterly: The best of the DRTV (infomercial) industry are looking for their next big hits.
Deadline: Monday, November 29th, 2010 at 11:59PM Pacific Time (US & Canada)
Edison Nation is partnered with the leaders in the DRTV (infomercial) business to host quarterly As Seen On TV product searches to help them find great new products to launch in the more than $200 billion direct response television market.
These are the same folks who brought you Bendaroos, Collagen 5, Floam, Hooked On Phonics, Mighty Putty, Mighty Mend It, Omelette Pan, SmartSpin, Strap Perfect and many more. Now they are turning to you to find the next great DRTV product.
The best of your submissions will be presented to these partners for their possible selection as DRTV products following the search’s close this summer and beyond.
The world of DRTV has grown exponentially and we want to help you find your niche within this multi-billion dollar industry. Today, more than 63% of Americans watch infomercials. Over the years, the most successful DRTV products have come from the following product categories:
• Toys
• Fitness
• Beauty and Health
• Weight Loss
• Kitchen Gadgets
• Household Cleaning Products
• Pain Relief
• Pet Products
• Self Improvement
• Sleep Aids (Snoring remedies)
• Lawn & Garden
When developing your submission, there are some key questions to consider – the same key questions that Edison Nation’s partners will ask as they review your submission:
• Does your product solve a common problem or fulfill a dream?
• Does your product transform your lifestyle?
• Does your product appeal to impulse buying? Does it hit hot buttons?
• Can the product be easily explained or demonstrated in a visually interesting manner?
• Does your product have mass market appeal?
• Does your product have a fascinating story to tell about its development and/or use?
• Is your product’s perceived value at retail 5 times greater than the cost to manufacture?
• Is your product an incredible value – a bargain that cannot possibly be missed?
• Does the product have the potential for on-going sales (refills, supplies, etc…)?
With all of our quarterly ASOTV searches, the following system applies:
1.) All G8’s (when the exclamation point on your dashboard turns green) whose ideas are selected will have their ideas tested through a new cutting-edge platform that we’ve created. These tests will run on television networks throughout the USA. We’ll pick up the bill for everything – including creating the infomercial, whatever product development is needed, paying for the television advertising, etc…
2.) Based on the resulting metrics of these media tests, products will be selected to take to market. Each product selected will be awarded the $2,500 advance and we will launch a full-blown DRTV campaign for your product nationwide. If you’re product is tested but doesn’t pass, we’ll give you EVERYTHING that we created in the testing process so that you can give it a shot on your own if you desire.
3.) ASOTV media testing and the associated metrics have been refined to a science by the industry. If an idea meets the target metrics, it’s nearly guaranteed to be a success and we can put significant resources behind it very quickly through our network of DRTVpartners.
There is no limit to the number of ideas that may be selected for each search.
Your submission must be unique and protectable. We encourage you to submit a visual representation of your product (i.e., sketch or photo). While not required, we highly encourage you to submit video of yourself demonstrating a prototype and explaining the features and benefits of your submission. Please be as detailed as possible in telling us about your innovation.
Each idea costs just $25 ($20 for Edison Insiders) to submit and, as long as you maintain Edison Insider membership, your idea may be submitted to as many searches as you would like at no additional cost. Click here for more details on Live Product Searches.
New Live Product Search: BRICA is after new travel and bath innovations.
Friday, October 22nd, 2010Description:
For every joy of raising a child, there’s usually a struggle not too far behind.
Juvenile products manufacturer BRICA is all about “making together better” by helping new parents improve the time spent with their children. While the BRICA brand is new (and won’t appear in retail until early next year), the company has been highly successful selling products under the Safe-Fit® brand. BRICA’s line for parents and babies from birth – 3 years rivals the competition for their expert design, function and superior value.
BRICA wants to expand its line of “better” juvenile products for new parents and is looking for new travel and bath innovations.
BRICA is particularly interested in portable travel and bath innovations that will make life easier, more convenient or more enjoyable for children and their parents. You may want to consider items such as:
• Infant head support solutions for car seats
• Highly portable infant and toddler travel products
• Organizational travel products
• Bath storage products
• Bath toys
For your submission, keep in mind that a clean design and portability are both important, up-and-coming trends among new leading juvenile products.
Requirements:
We encourage you to submit a visual representation of your product (i.e., sketch or photo). While not required, we highly recommend you to submit video of yourself demonstrating a prototype and explaining the features and benefits of your submission. Please be as detailed as possible in telling us about your travel or bath juvenile product innovation. As always, your submission should be unique and protectable.
Product submissions should:
• Appeal to BRICA primary customers: 24-35 year-old new moms and women pregnant with their first child
• Have a targeted MSRP range of $10-$30.
Each idea costs just $25 ($20 for Edison Insiders) to submit and, as long as you maintain Edison Insider membership, your idea may be submitted to as many searches as you like at no additional cost. Click here for more details on Live Product Searches.
The creators of the new BRICA brand of juvenile products are responsible for the highly successful Safe Fit brand available for purchase at leading big box retailers including Babies R’ Us, BuyBuy Baby, Target and Walmart as well as various independent retail outlets.
Are You a Toy/Game Inventor?
Thursday, October 21st, 2010If you are a Toy or Game Inventor this is the place to be Saturday & Sunday Nov 20-21 2010.
TAGIE – The Toy & Game Inventor Conference held each year in Chicago IL. This is the largest Toy/Game show in the country dedicated to new products specifically from invenmtors.
You can show your cool inventions, you can attend the 2 day seminar on toy/game development and best of all, you can save 20% just by being a UIA member…and of course that’s FREE!
It’s Fun!
The Chicago Toy and Game Fair is held in Festival Hall B at Navy Pier. As the only toy and game fair open to the general public, every year it hosts a great variety of entertainment for all ages under one roof. You’ll find live entertainment, seminars for parents and educators, and best of all you’ll have a chance to sample the hottest new toys and games, and even holiday shopping!
It’s also Business!
CHITAG is the perfect opportunity to get your product in front of thousands of funseekers who come to play, try and buy the hottest new toys and games! It is your best opportunity to show new products in front of a large and diverse consumer audience, along with media and trade buyers.
Here are some links to impoartant information about the show
The Toy & Game Show http://www.chitag.com/
The Educational Seminar http://www.tagie.net/
The Kids Inventor Show http://www.chitag.com/YIC/index.htm
The TAGIE Inventor Awards http://tagieawards.com/
New Live Product Search: Sassy Baby is looking for developmental juvenile products and toys.
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Here’s looking at you, kid!
Child development is Sassy Baby’s focus as a leading manufacturer of products parents can trust for their growing babies. Sassy is unique in that it works with infant development specialists to design and develop their high-quality infant and juvenile toys, care and feeding products.
Sassy Baby wants to see your innovations for products and toys that play an instrumental role in child development. Specifically, you should consider feeding utensils as well as infant development toys and products, as outlined below:
Sassy is requesting submissions for feeding utensils that inspire caregiver confidence and self-feeding confidence. Ergonomic, on-the-go and even disposable products are all up-and-coming trends within children’s feeding products to consider. Keep in mind the targeted $2.99-$5.99 MSRP range for feeding products. Note: Sassy Baby is not interested in sippy cups or baby bottles.
Sassy is also interested in infant (birth-6months) development toys and products. You may want to consider:
• “Game-changing” mobiles (*mobile submissions must have an attachment mechanism that works on all styles of today’s cribs, including convertible cribs; targeted MSRP is $50-$60)
• Soothers (in-the-crib products that involve sound, light and motion; targeted MSRP is $30-$45 )
• Play mats and play environments (targeted MSRP is $50-$80)
• Bouncers, especially those focusing on an improved sleep experience (targeted MSRP is $39-$49)
• Portable infant sleep environments (targeted MSRP is $60-$120)
Today, popular infant toys and products increasingly make use of current fashions, music and trends. We recommend considering ideas that inspire the senses, and “grow with the child” capabilities or properties.
We encourage you to submit a visual representation of your product (i.e., sketch or photo). While not required, we highly recommend you to submit video of yourself demonstrating a prototype and explaining the features and benefits of your submission. Please be as detailed as possible in telling us about your juvenile product innovation. As always, your submission should be unique and protectable (patent protection is helpful, but not a requirement).
Product submissions should:
• Appeal to Sassy Baby’s primary customer base of “millennial moms” looking for products that “make it quick and easy,” provide instant gratification, are “mom-centric” and reflect “her” and her frugality;
• Warrant a slightly higher/ middle-range price point due to their developmental value;
• Be EASY to understand, set up and/ or install.
Each idea costs just $25 ($20 for Edison Insiders) to submit and, as long as you maintain Edison Insider membership, your idea may be submitted to as many searches as you like at no additional cost. Click here for more details on Live Product Searches.
Sassy Baby’s branded products for babies from birth through three years of age are distributed in all mass retailers, infant specialty, regional chains, independent retailers and in more than 30 countries.
To learn more about Sassy Baby visit www.sassybaby.com.
Win $50 Gift Card to Lowe’s!
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010In honor of our newest product launch, The Kobalt Mortar Hoe, we’re giving away four $50 gift cards to Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores!
How to enter:
- Follow @edisonnation on Twitter!
- Tweet this message:
Win a $50 Gift Card to #Lowes! Just retweet this & follow @edisonnation to win. More details: http://bit.ly/bxAhRB - Tweet again every day for a chance to win!
Contest Guidelines:
- You can tweet as many times as you like, but only one entry will count per day/giveaway.
- Make sure your tweets are public. If your tweets are private, we can’t see them, which means you can’t win.
- Each day’s contest will run from 9am EST to 8:59 AM EST the next day. Winners will generally be announced within an hour of the ending time, via Twitter only, so be sure to follow us.