The fidget game

The product that resonated with me the most was “The Fidget Game.” I am passionate about unconventional educational approaches that deviate from traditional norms, especially for children. Having struggled with standard study methods devoid of external stimulation throughout my own education, I strongly believe in making learning enjoyable and promoting diverse learning methods tailored to individual preferences. This philosophy shapes individuals and serves as a catalyst for their growth.

“The Fidget Game” was presented as an engaging card game that incorporates elements of fun learning, fidgeting, and competitiveness. The entrepreneur sought $500K for a 10% stake, resulting in a $5 million valuation. The product addresses the need for innovative approaches to assist children with literacy, combining competitiveness and effective education. Recognizing that people learn best when presented with a unique twist, such as through songs or games, this product targets a valuable niche.

Moreover, the product addresses the literacy crisis in the United States, particularly exacerbated after the pandemic, where millions of children struggle with reading. The incorporation of a reward system, such as an ADHD stimulant popper, makes the product more appealing and effective. Consumers perceive a genuine need for this product, driven by the deep love and concern parents have for their children. Naturally, parents aspire to provide their children with every advantage, and “The Fidget Game” offers an affordable and highly efficient means to do so.

The Sharks on the show also shared a strong belief in the product, evident in the swift deal made with Barbara at a 15% stake. Notably, Barbara is not known for frequently making deals, adding a unique aspect to the entrepreneur’s success. Despite being a film student in Brooklyn, I appreciate the well-presented nature of the product, with its simplistic packaging, direct messaging, welcoming color scheme, and a concept succinctly captured in its name. With an impressive $1.3 million in earnings within the first three months, the success of “The Fidget Game” underscores its broad appeal and effectiveness.

After watching season 15, episode 7 of Shark Tank and seeing all 4 different pitches, the one that resonated with me the most was the Rekkie goggles. I found these goggles very interesting and unique because of how useful they are, and they solve so many problems at once with all its features. What I loved the most about this product was the fact that even without all the technological features, they are still one of the best goggles aimed for action sports.

Rekkie goggles are a high-tech way to stay connected on the slopes when skiing. They are smart snow goggles that have a built-in heads-up display. This display projects directly onto the lens and floats out in front of your forehead, as it shows speed, elevation, a clock, number of new notifications, and a compass. All you have to do is glance up, so you can see where your friends are, how fast you are going, read your unread texts, control your music, and answer phone calls. To do all of this, you need to download the Rekkie app on your phone and create a ski group which will also give you the abilities to see friends on a map, pair goggles, as well as track stats. When you are in a group of friends on the app, it tracks the phone’s GPS location.

The gap this product fills is not having to deal with the inconvenience of trying to take out your phone when in the middle of a ski run. Very often when skiing, people get split up, lose each other, and don’t know which way someone went when getting to the bottom of the chair lift. This product solves these issues, while still being a great quality pair of goggles. Instead of just wanting it, consumers should feel like they need this product because the display doesn’t block your view, it uses state of the art lens clarity, anti-fog, and contrast boosting technology to make them great ski goggles without even turning them on. This makes the Rekkie goggles very versatile.

The price for this product is $349, which is the same general price for other ski goggles that don’t even have a display. The cost to make has gone down from $160 per unit, to $130 per unit. In the episode, they made their final deal with Mark Cuban, $300,000 for 12.5% stake. This product could be best positioned by being sold in stores specifically aimed towards the ski and snow board industry. The marketing of this product is extremely important too, as that is something that they can improve on. The simple use of social media like Instagram, TikTok, and X could impact their sales positively. I noticed that they have very little posts on social media promoting their product, I only saw a few on Instagram. The use of social media would be effective because of how much of an eye-catching product this is. The algorithm of social media apps will help get this product to reach skiers. Once skiers start to see this product going viral on apps like TikTok, more and more people that are into action sports will want to buy it. This is just one simple way they can promote the goggles. Once they reach their target audience effectively, the number of consumers will increase.

I found most of the pitches interesting (I was not very into the ski helmet) but was most drawn to the Yum Crumbs pitch, for a few reasons. The product itself seemed pretty great (and baked goods and ice cream seem unlikely to suddenly stop being in demand!). As a b2b business in particular, I thought it was in great shape, with a significant contract already with Wawa (only waiting for expanded capacity at Yum Crumbs to be able to order more) and multiple other cake shops and ice cream shops already on board. The convenience for small businesses in particular to easily change up their offerings through this one product is a strong selling point. But it’s fair to say that my strongest pull to this pitch was due to the family story and energy in the pitch and the origin story of Delson going from store to store pitching the Yum Crumbs.

As presented to the sharks, the main focus was on the ability of Yum Crumbs to be marketed to cake and ice cream shops as a way to bring easy variety to their offerings. Because Yum Crumbs has 30+ flavors, and there are not many existing sprinkle/topping flavor options available outside of Yum Crumbs, so the gap is clear and should be profitable to address. As one of the sharks pointed out, it should be significantly cheaper and easier for bakeries etc. to utilize Yum Crumbs versus having to make their own toppings. Small businesses in particular should feel a strong need to utilize this product to expand their flavor options.

I think the website is the best positioning for retail consumers (and noted that Yum Crumbs, along with The Fidget Game, has already updated their website to include “Shark Tank Bundles” and splash ads), and likely would not want to expend significantly more money on anything past that space given that their main market is small businesses. For marketing to small business bakeries and ice cream shops, I think getting involved in national food and beverage industry conferences is a strong way to market, investing in a solid salesforce (ideally all people with sales skills on par with Delson, who I think is particularly skilled!) and a high number of demos. Additionally, the door-to-door approach should be continued for another year or two – so far it has worked very well and expanding that network with face-to-face interaction I think is a strong investment for Yum Crumbs. Of course, the effect of being on Shark Tank alone with bring a boost of attention and sales for Yum Crumbs, and following up on that utilizing direct marketing (an email newsletter or some other alert of seasonal flavors I think would be especially effective) with help keep that boost going.

The product that resonated with me the most was “The Fidget Game”. I feel strongly about alternate ways of educating that are efficient and stray from traditional norms, especially for children. I grew up with difficulty learning in the standard go-home study and “just remember” method with no external stimulation (even to this day!). I believe education should be enjoyable and we should encourage alternate methods of learning as everybody is different and has different preferences. It sets the foundation of who they are and is the catalyst for their enhancement.

The product was presented as a stimulating card game that both taps into fun learning, fidgeting, and competitiveness. (She asked for 500K for 10%… 5 million valuation. The gap that this product fills is the need for enhanced ways to help children with literacy. By combining the concept of competitiveness (which is a good incentive alongside general adult validation), and educating efficiently. Everyone knows people learn best by adding a spin to it; whether it be songs or games, this is a great niche.

This also fills the gap of the US literacy crisis where millions of children do not know how to read in America alone, especially after the pandemic. The process of making it fun with an ADHD stimulant popper as a reward makes this product significantly easier. Consumers feel they NEED this product solely because people love and care for their children deeply. Parents want the best for their children and that’s human nature. They want their children to have the greatest advantage that they can. This product is a cheap and highly efficient way to get children to do so. The Sharks strongly believed in this product as well, which is why she got a deal so quickly. She got a deal from Barbara at 15% out of all people… Barbara never makes any deals and it’s a running gag. I actually think this product was presented fairly well. She made 1.3 million in the first 3 months I believe and I’m just a film student in Brooklyn. Who am I to correct it? The packaging is simplistic, gets straight to the point, has a welcoming color scheme, and the concept of the product is in the name itself.

Keilyn Navarrete

Prof. Buckler

MAR 100

December 3, 2023

Shark Tank- The fidget game

The product that stood out to me most between the four episodes of shark tank was Brandi Dugal’s product called the fidget game. This product stood out to me the most because it had a good concept for the audience it was seeking for. This product is both educational and interactive in a fun way for children. The reason why this is a good product concept is because kids will be able to have fun while learning at the same time. Learning and having fun don’t usually mix together however Brandi’s fidget game has succeeded in making this product connect both concepts turning it into one complete product concept. This product has become a solution to both parents and children, therefore successfully catching the attention of their audience.

The fidget game is a product made for children to have fun while learning at the same time. This is a game that includes different products such as dice, cards, and fidget products. The main goal of the fidget game is to help children enhance their reading skills. this game fits for all grade levels for children to best help match the game they should play. These products connect by using reading cards and whoever gets a correct answer gets to roll the dice and then press the fidget products, overall whoever presses the fidget toy most wins. This game gives children a reason to want to win therefore makes them gain more knowledge in learning with the reading cards.

Getting into numbers and statistics, Brandi seeks for $500,00 in exchange for 10% of the company. Brandi explains that this is a reasonable exchange by mentioning the success and achievements the company has made. In 13 months, the company made $2.3 million sales. Most of the sales were gained from amazon by 85%, the rest of the 15% have been made in Brandi’s site. Brandi’s first testing to see if the product was a success was by getting feedback from 100 teachers who used the game on children. This was later brought to the platform called tik tok which help make the fidget game the #1 reading game within 6 months in amazon. The margin of this product escalated to 32% creating a good margin and making the profit 1 million 250. The statistics and numbers have shown why Brandi’s product is a sucess.

The reason why people feel the need to have this product is because the combination of both education and games. Parents both get the help in enhancing their children’s education by using these games on them. This product succeeded in being unique disregarding the imitations made, this product was able to gain the attention of the right audience which are children. The reason why this was a successful product concept was because the product created something that the audience they were seeking for needed. This product became beneficial therefore made people need it, it overall was a successful product.

In this Shark Tank episode, the Scrub Daddy pitch struck the greatest chord with me. The texture of Scrub Daddy, a special cleaning sponge, varies with the temperature of the water. It becomes firm and durable in cold water, making it ideal for scrubbing away impatient messes. It becomes pliable and soft in hot water for moderate cleaning.

Scrub Daddy is a modern cleaning sponge that simplifies and improves cleaning, as showed to the “sharks.” It is made of a unique material whose texture varies with the temperature of the water. This makes it suitable for a range of cleaning jobs, from gently cleaning surfaces that are delicate to scrubbing away stubborn messes.

Scrub Daddy closes several gaps in the industry. Conventional sponges are too firm for delicate cleaning or too soft for scrubbing away difficult messes. By changing texture based on water temperature, Scrub Daddy solves this issue. Furthermore, traditional sponges often have bacteria that can spread infection. Scrub Daddy is a more hygienic cleaning tool because it is made to resist the growth of bacteria.

Scrub Daddy makes a number of processes easier, including:

1.Tough mess cleaning: Scrub Daddy’s firm texture makes it possible to quickly and effectively remove obstinate messes like grease or burnt food.
2.Scrub Daddy’s gentle texture makes it ideal for use on countertops and other delicate surfaces.
3.Cleaning dishes: Scrub Daddy’s unique shape makes it comfortable to hold and operate.
4.Car washing: Scrub Daddy works well for cleaning cars and trucks because of its durable texture.

Consumers should not only want Scrub Daddy, but they should feel that they NEED it because it is:

• Versatile: Scrub Daddy can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks.
• Effective: Scrub Daddy is designed to quickly and effectively remove dirt, grime, and grease.
• Hygienic: Scrub Daddy is designed to resist bacteria growth.
• Durable: Scrub Daddy is made from a durable material that is designed to last.

Based on what I learned in this unit’s textbook chapter, Scrub Daddy could be best positioned to appeal to consumers by using the following branding and packaging strategies:

• Brand Positioning: Scrub Daddy should be positioned as the “all-in-one” cleaning sponge that can tackle any cleaning task.
• Target Audience: Scrub Daddy should be targeted to a wide audience, including homeowners, renters, and professional cleaners.
• Packaging: Scrub Daddy should be packaged in a way that highlights its unique features and benefits. The packaging should also be eye-catching and informative.
• Pricing: Scrub Daddy should be priced competitively with other cleaning sponges on the market. However, the price should also reflect the product’s unique features and benefits.

By using these branding and packaging strategies, Scrub Daddy can effectively reach its target audience and persuade consumers that they need this product in their homes.

This episode was a toughy for me as I like almost all the pitches. I was stuck between choosing The Fidget Game and Yum Crumbs. Both businesses are great but i went with Yum Crumbs. This pitch resonated with me more because of its uniqueness. I also think that appeals to wider target audience of people, that being young, middle aged, and/ or older. Their flavors as well are not boring and basic they have a variety of flavors. It holds consistency which is key as well. His selling price compared to what he spends to make the product is exceptional and I see greater potential growth for this gentleman. I dont believe there is anything like this on the market as well and if there is, its not many. 

The product is a twist on what you would usually do with sprinkles. Like he stated “It would be if a cookie and sprinkles had a baby, that’s Yum Crumbs”. Sprinkles usually only come in the same flavors and never really have different flavors just colors so this adds diversity to a sweet treat and complimentary extra flavor. It can be used on cakes., ice cream, candy apples, fruits and etc. His business was a B2B as he started by going directly to stores and selling his product. He currently has his product in WAWA’s as they use Yum Crumbs on their cakes. The product holds consistency which makes the overall concept of what being made with it 10x better. This product saves a business time and money for example a cake or ice cream shop. That is because for a product like this it would be time consuming for an employee to make from scratch and with that it would also cost for a business to make all the time. SO this saves them the time and the money and delivers what they need to there doorstep hassle free. He also sells in bulk to businesses which is smarter for a way higher price. MONEY MOVES!

Consumers should not only want this product but feel they need it because it would not only make something simple more pleasurable to the taste buds but lets say your making a dessert at home this could be something to elevate it or make even the process to create something easier, for example like recreating Good Humor’s Strawberry shortcake ice cream, this product would be perfect. If you know you know. Like stated to the sharks it can also be incorporated inside of a product not only outside of it or as a topper. I think the packaging is great for what the product is. The branding is simple and cute and doesn’t take away from the product it allows it to stand out with the peep window in the packaging. I think a store like Michaels would be a great move. Even expanding to other retail stores like Target, Party City, etc. I did see that Yum Crumbs is on Amazon which I think is great move to reach consumer directly especially keeping up with how things are sold now. He wanted to venture into B2C and needed a bigger kitchen to get his goals fulfilled and i think Daymond and Barbara were excellent partners to invest in his endeavors.

Nebel Alsaidy

Proffessor Buckler

Marketing 100

December 3, 2023

Shark Tank – The Fidget Games

After watching Season 15, Episode 7 of Shark Tank, Brandi’s pitch for The Fidget Game resonated with me the most. The Fidget Game offers a compelling business idea by combining learning and interactive activities to make “curriculum-aligned educational games that make learning effective and fun for all types of learners”. In a world where a great number of children think of education as a chore (including myself as a child), The Fidget Game could serve as a potential solution, allowing children to have a positive impression of learning. By infusing fun into learning, this product has the capability to transform the educational landscape, creating a generation of kids who actually want to learn. This paper will talk about the various aspects of The Fidget Game, and how it can be best positioned to appeal to consumers.

Brandi’s pitch for The Fidget Game unveils a product concept that is fairly simple, yet engaging for children. By combining things that already exist (fidget mats, Reading cards, dice) to create something innovative. Pitched as a “multi-sensory, aligned with the science of reading,” “not your average board game” that works. The Fidget Game’s concept revolves around “card packs” each made for a specific grade level. These packs feature cards with words to be read, accompanied by symbols that dictate how to player should read it. There are only two symbols: a heart which signifies that the reader must know the word by heart without sounding it out, and a lightning bolt which signifies to the reader to quickly sound out the word. Correct pronunciation earns the player the chance to roll a die, and depending on the number they get, they can pop bubbles on the fidget mat. The first player to pop all the bubbles is the winner; The Fidget Game turns the learning process into an enjoyable and interactive game.

The Fidget Game fills a crucial gap in the early education system, addressing the challenge of engaging children who may struggle to focus on traditional learning methods. The early years of education is very important since it sets the tone for how students feel about school. If they are introduced to a more fun interactive way of learning, students are more likely to look forward to school, and look at it in a positive light. I know this from experience as I used to always have a hard time staying focused on a lesson for long periods of time, it was only when interactive activities like ‘Jeopardy’ or ‘Kahoot!’ were introduced that I found myself genuinely looking forward to learning. That’s why The Fidget Game fills gap in the education system adding another activity that helps students be engaged in what they are learning, instead of learning just to get to the next grade.

This product makes it easier for teachers and parents who are struggling with children who have a hard time studying, or learning. The Fidget Game makes it easier for teachers because it allows students who are always goofing off or at a low reading level to learn in a way that’s engaging. For parents with children who have a hard time studying due to feeling like school is the only place to learn, The Fidget Game makes studying at home more effective and enjoyable for their children.

Consumers should feel The Fidget Game is a need rather than a want, as it serves as a solution for children struggling with reading challenges, such as dyslexia. When searching up “Why is The Fidget Game important” first thing that comes up is “BENEFICIAL TO CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA learning to decode sight words is helpful to children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties”. The marketing strategy specifically targeting children with dyslexia is evident, shown in the majority of their products’ descriptions. Recent reviews further confirm that The Fidget Game’s products are delivering the promised benefits as advertised.

Based on what i learned in this unit’s textbook chapter, The Fidget Game could be best positioned to appeal to consumers by expanding its reach to different locations. If this company decides to expand towards different countries it could be very beneficial, many countries are now implementing English as a subject which requires students to read English words. The Fidget game holds significant potential for marketing to preteen generations in these regions, providing an engaging tool for learning English. If this product is marketed towards schools in different countries, it can serve as a crucial way for non-English speakers to learn while staying engaged.

The product that most appealed to me was the Rekkie smart snow goggles. The Rekkie snow goggles are goggles designed for skiers that feature a built in heads-up display. The display show information directly onto the goggle lens, providing the user with real time data like their speed, location of friends, unread text messages, music control, and answering phone calls. They emphasize that Rekkie is not a VR goggle and doesn’t block vision, but instead they utilize state of the are technology, like anti-fog and contrast boosting features to enhance the users experience. Currently Rekkie fills a gapin the market for skiers who want to use advanced technology intergrated into there goggles. Regular goggles dont offer the same level of information as Rekkie goggles, the product increases safety and is convenient for skiers since its hands free. The goggles can make skiing more enjoyable since you wont need to pull your phone out since the information will be on the goggles paired with the accompanying app. Consumers are likely to be attracted to Rekkie for its features, which offer a mix of technology and practicality specific to the skiing environment. The ability to monitor speed, stay connected with friends, and control music without removing goggles and pulling out a phone or device aligns with the convenience and safety preferences of skiers. Rekkie could be positioned as the go-to smart snow goggle for tech-savvy skiers who prioritize safety, connectivity, and advanced features. While Rekkie goggles are specifically designed for skiers, there may be potential for the product to cater to a broader audience beyond skiing like snowboarders, mountain climbers, photographers, search and rescue teams, military, and many more. Rekkie appears to be a promising product, meeting the demands of skiers by providing a unique blend of advanced features and state of the art lens technology. The success of Rekkie depends on effective marketing, and them continuing there innovation to meet evolving expectations.