Next Thursday might be Thanksgiving, but this week we are happy to inform you about a Davison-design that will be featured at 7 a.m. tomorrow on Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act.”

Mr. Davison and our client, Kay, along with her Pugz Shoes (as part of their “Dare to Invent” webisode) will be the featured guests on “America’s premier one-hour women’s morning show” tomorrow, November 15th.  The innovative episode will also be shown at 7 a.m. on Black Friday (you can watch before heading to the mall), November 22nd.

Our client and Michigan native, Kay, dreaded taking her two Shelties, Autumn Angel and Rough Spot, out in blustery, wet weather.  Her faithful friends would wind up with cold, snowy paws or even salt-soaked paws from treated roads and sidewalks.

“I needed something that would stay on and protect their paws… [Something to] keep their paws from getting dry and cracked,” Kay said.

Kay thought of a better way to protect her pups and brought her idea for doggie boots to Davison, where our creative team worked to design, develop and license her idea into Hugs Pet Products’ Pugz Shoes.

“I would advise [future inventors] to stay positive and do some research… Don’t get discouraged, it can happen,” said Kay.  “I’m a firm believer… nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Following “The Balancing Act” episode, we’re giving our Facebook fans and Twitter followers the chance to win Pugz or any other innovative pet products!  By submitting a photo of their dog in Pugz or sharing why their dog needs a pair (well, um, 4 shoes), Davison fans will be entered to win a $100, $50 or $25 gift card to buy their very own Hugs Pet Products.

Tune in to Lifetime’s “The Balancing Act” tomorrow at 7 a.m. and email your clients to let them know about our Facebook and Twitter Pugz contest!**

“Stick a knife in it!” “Smack the bottom.” “Hold it at a 45-degree angle and tap the 57.” Every ketchup connoisseur has their own technique for coaxing the tomato topping slowly out of a newly opened bottle. But things can get down right dangerous as diners flail around trying to get the last ounce of this creeping condiment from the bottom of the bottle.

Well, the painstaking process of topping our burgers and fries may be over.

From the people who brought you a mapping of the human genome and Bose sound systems comes LiquiGlide — “a revolutionary super-slippery coating to liberate your ketchup” – from a group of MIT engineers.

MIT PhD candidate Dave Smith and his team of mechanical engineers and nano-technologists from the Varanasi Research Group have put hundreds of years of bottle-beating debates to rest, creating bottle surfaces from which condiments simply glide onto your plate.

According to the LiquiGlide website, the coating is made entirely from food materials; no nanoparticles to worry about. “Even if you scraped off the coating with a knife and ate it, it would be completely harmless and flavorless.”

Varanasi’s innovative way to package condiments will hopefully make life easier in the future.

In the meantime, check out these Davison products that already do.

RV Leveler

We don’t want our vacations to turn into work. So Davison created the RV Leveler, a two-part product that enables users to quickly determine whether their motorhome is level. The RV Leveler’s base communicates wirelessly with a corresponding handheld device. The four-light LED display on the remote unit enables the user to see immediately where adjustments are needed.

Hover Creeper

Working on cars is tough enough. Navigating underneath them shouldn’t be. Traditional automotive creepers have wheels that get stuck in floor cracks and shift wildly over bolts or other loose parts that frequently break, leaving a mechanic stuck. Instead of trying to roll over an uneven or cracked garage floor, the new Hover Creeper literally hovers slightly above it.

Better Tether

It’s a doggone shame that some pet owners leave their pups twisted around trees or poles outside without food or water. Well, this Better Tether is placed in-ground, eliminating obstacle to pets, humans and machines. The divided food and water bowl can never be tipped over, and the unit never has to be moved for the lawnmower.  Also, a big congratulations to the winner of our Better Tether Giveaway, Stephanie Shreve Baker!  We hope your pup really enjoys it!

In the future, when you make a burger with the Fill N’ Grill, it will be much easier to put Ketchup in the middle. Try some bacon too.

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and we are very pleased to report that our television debut was a stunning success!

Mr. Davison would like to send a sincere thank you to everyone who joined him to celebrate the premiere of the History Channel’s “Inventionland” reality show at Hoffstot’s in Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve.  Those who joined in the premiere party enjoyed festive drinks and one awesome show!

As you may have imagined, news of the show premiere has made it near and far!  
 
The Sacramento Bee announced the premiere, so west coast viewers could tune in!  Breitbart.com, an online publication that offers real-time access to top news and analysis sources, also announced the “Inventionland” premiere!

We also saw online posts about “Inventionland” on Hartford, Connecticut’s Eyewitness 3 News, NorthcentralPA.com, Its Reality TV and at Snazzy Itemz!  

Of course, we made the social media circuit, too!  Check out one of our Twitter follower’s comments below:

“Creative minds will want to watch the History Channel’s new reality show:  inventionland.com/about.html.” 

 Finally, if you watched the show, you know that the company, Step 2, licensed a product idea from our client, Milton, for a cooler that keeps your beach umbrella securely anchored in the sand while you’re enjoying a day at the beach!  Well, check out their website, which showcases the “Shade Cooler, as seen on the History Channel’s TV Show ‘Inventionland.’”  AWESOME!

Now, we have high hopes that the History Channel will be showing the premiere again soon!  Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make the show such a success!

So, you know the client-inspired, Davison-designed, Health Enterprise-licensed TheraPED has recently been featured on various blogs and in TOMI magazine. Now, we’ve learned that the innovative spa-therapy product is going to be next to country music royalty!

That’s right, the TheraPED has been selected as one of the exclusive items to be included in the gift bags given to artists who perform during the 45th Annual CMA Awards on November 9th!

Health Enterprises President Brendan Leonard shared the exciting news with us and said he hopes country’s leading ladies pamper themselves with the fashionable, refreshing products.

“We hope the female recipients have an opportunity to relax and enjoy TheraPED’s soothing relief after the show,” Leonard said.

We’d have to agree with Kenny Chesney, we can’t wait to see their refreshed feet and “toes in the sand,” thanks to these awesome Davison-designed products!

The client has not made a net profit on this product. A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Two Davison-designed products that were created for clients and brought to market by Hugs Pet Products are Pet Product News International (PPNI) Retailers’ Top Pick Award winners! The Silicone Dog Treat Pan was the top vote-getter in the Gift Products category and the Better Tether was the third-highest vote-getter in the Home: Indoor & Outdoor Products category.

“It’s really great that they won the awards, especially since they’re picked by retailers,” said Davison’s Vice-President of Licensing. “They were up against competition from all the big names in the pet industry and they took first and third place — that’s a pretty good day at the office.”

Photos and write-ups of both products, along with their placements in the contest, are featured in this month’s PPNI issue. The president of Hugs Pet Products said he was blown away when he heard about the awards.

“This is awesome and huge for our company. It shows that all of the hard work we have done to bring new, different and innovative products to the pet market is paying off. We will continue to strive to do this with future products we are currently developing. It is truly an honor to be selected out of great companies and products on the market. We are very excited!” he said.

Formerly known as the Low-Pro, Davison designed the Better Tether in collaboration with our client, Ed, to offer a more humane and convenient way to tether a dog outdoors. The innovative tethering device provides a constant source of food and water that cannot be spilled and never has to be moved for the lawnmower!

The Silicone Dog Treat Pan, a spin-off of the Silicone Dessert Bar Pan that Davison designed in collaboration with our client, Joseph, allows pet owners to make dog-bone-shaped treats for their canine companions. It even comes with several paw-lickin’ good recipes!

Undoubtedly, getting these products developed and to market was a team effort. From the client to the corporate design teams, many people had a hand in their success.

“I am happy to hear that these products are winning such acclaim,” said Davison’s Corporate Creative Coach. “I’m proud of the team for sure. I bet the clients will be pumped to hear the news! It’s a nice piece of outside confirmation that these products are as awesome as we all think they are.”

Congratulations to everyone who worked on these awesome, award-winning products!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Living in their Stamford, Conn., apartment, Pittsburgh natives Kathy and her husband often enjoyed taking their pup on long walks at the city park or along the picturesque streets near their home.  To help keep Stamford’s streets clean and beautiful, city officials enforced mandatory pet waste pick-up.

“They offered a small bag with handles to use for this, but I found these to be inadequate,” said Kathy.

Kathy, a busy medical assistant and office manager, needed a more efficient and sanitary way to dispose of her pup’s waste.  It didn’t take Kathy and her husband long to come up with a solution, sealable mitts that ensured easy disposal; but, they didn’t necessarily have the support of their family from the start.

“We came up with this idea about one month later… When I told my family, they didn’t really think I could make this happen,” said Kathy.  “I have had ideas in the past, but never acted on them, because I didn’t have the time or finances to make it happen.”

Proving skeptical family wrong, Kathy’s husband began researching invention companies and they decided to go with a hometown option.

“After contacting Davison and getting their input, we slowly got this idea off the ground. Of course, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Kathy.

Davison designers worked diligently with Kathy and her husband to develop Potty Paws, anti-microbial, paw-shaped mitts that easily slip on, then turn inside out and zip shut for mess-free waste disposal.

Eventually, the mitts were licensed by Hugs Pet Products, an innovative company devoted to enhancing the lives of pets and their owners by delivering cutting edge pet products.

It may not have happened overnight, but Kathy said she always believed in her idea and she had some advice for other inventors who may have doubts.

“I believe there is always room for a new product for the consumer to try.  You do need to be patient and be ready to put in the time and money.  There is no guarantee that your idea will be a great product, so be ready for anything,” said Kathy.

Sadly, Kathy’s husband passed away during their invention process, but she said she knows he would be thrilled with the finished product.

“I have had more communication with the Davison group than my late husband and they have kept me informed every step of the journey and have shown much kindness [over] the loss I have had… Seeing my product for sale is the reality of the dream we both had.  I would certainly do it again,” said Kathy.

Congratulations Kathy, the adorable product has been a “paws-itive” success!

The client has not realized a net profit on this product. A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Another Davison-designed product is making headlines!  FIDO Friendly magazine, a bi-monthly travel publication for pets and their owners, has reviewed the Auto Pet Dish.

A description and picture of the dish, which was licensed by Hugs Pet Products, appear on the FIDO Friendly blog, along with a video which shows the product trial in-progress.

FIDO Friendly’s testing team said the dish is great for traveling with your dog, relaxing outside on the patio or taking your pup on a picnic.

“Fido will be able to access his food or water all day long.  You won’t have to worry about it going bad, getting spoiled or getting any nasty germs in it,” one reviewer said.

The reviewers noted the Auto Pet Dish’s durable plastic bowl with adjustable lid and sensor, and the way it automatically opens whenever four-legged friends come near, then closes almost instantly when they’re done.

“This is something that’s really cute, unique, different and if you’re looking for a solution for your pet feeding needs, this is something that Fido Friendly had fun testing and that you might want to try out as well,” a tester said.

It looks like another Davison-designed product is receiving rave reviews!  Congratulations to everyone who worked on this awesome product!

The client has not realized a net profit on this product.

Watch the entire FIDO Friendly Auto Pet Dish trial here!

Like many family members of inventors, Deb’s husband, Maynard, was skeptical. When she submitted her idea to Davison, he did not have very high hopes for its success and did not expect to see a return on their investment, although he supported his wife’s efforts. So, he was quite surprised, and very pleased, that the Cool Cot was licensed and made it to the market.

“I’m a cautious person,” Maynard explained. “But it turned out great.” In fact, the semi-retiree has a few invention ideas of his own. When asked if he might pursue them, he replied: “With her success, why not?”

Since it hit the market, the number of retailers selling the Cool Cot has been increasing steadily — it is currently in at least 16 stores! Deb and Maynard visited Inventionland a few weeks ago to celebrate her success and meet with Mr. Davison, who presented her with her biggest royalty check to date.

“I was thrilled; it was very nice,” said Deb, who works hard each day running a home day care. “I’m holding that check and I’m just thinking, how do I get to spend this money? I’ll probably put it in the bank and sit on it.”

As we stated in Part 1, Deb wanted to help her dog, Sadie, who was suffering from arthritis, when she came up with her idea. During her visit, Deb also got to see her physical product for the first time, which “was pretty neat.” Unfortunately, Sadie has passed, but “Duke will get to enjoy it,” she said. She thought it might even be put to good use as a place for the preschoolers in her home to sit and take a break from their activities.

During their visit, the couple was given a tour of Inventionland, which was “fascinating.” They were also quite impressed with its inspiring founder.

“Inventionland was a blast; I want to take it home with me,” joked Deb. “Mr. Davison is pretty cool. We had a blast with him today.”

Although it took some time to get it to market, Deb said her experience with Davison, from Sales to Design to Licensing, has been good.

“The Davison staff is great; they’re just awesome,” she said. “Everything that has happened to date has been a very positive experience.”

Before leaving, she offered a bit of advice to other people like herself who have an idea for a new product.

“Get it down on paper, and give Davison a call … I know I made the right decision,” she said. “Those who have an idea and someone is trying to talk them out of it, ignore them and go with your gut.”

Congratulations to our client, to Hugs Pet Products, and to the entire team on the success of the Cool Cot!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Deb’s heart ached for her beloved, canine companion, Sadie, who was aging and suffering with arthritis. Sadie, who had been a faithful friend for many years, was becoming more and more uncomfortable, and Deb tried “everything under the sun” to ease the pain in her limbs. She even tried putting zippered plastic bags of warm water in the dog bed, but the only result was a wet bed.

Deb realized that what she needed for Sadie was a more comfortable bed to help cushion her joints. She couldn’t find one in the stores, so she decided to create one herself. She found Davison on the Internet and sent in her idea. Our design team went right to work and developed the concept, while making some modifications to make it more marketable.

Living in Wyoming, which can get brutally hot in the summer, the inventor saw the benefits of the product having a raised bed and mesh cot, which would help pets stay cool and comfortable.

“There’s not a lot you can do for a dog with a thick coat; they get very hot and sticky,” said Deb, who also has a furry Australian Shepherd / Border Collie named Duke. “When Davison told me about the modifications on the product, I went with it because they were for the better.”

The team also designed the Cool Cot to be lightweight, portable, washable, easy to assemble and compact to store. It can even be staked to the ground for added stability, which gave it an extra advantage in the marketplace.

Being transferred to the Licensing Department “was very exciting,” and getting to that stage felt like an accomplishment, said Deb. It didn’t happen overnight, but she was “thrilled” when her idea was licensed by Hugs Pet Products; at the same time, however, she tried not to get her hopes up too high.

“The day I got the call to speak to the Vice President of Licensing, I was excited at first, then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, don’t get your hopes up,’” she recalled. “When I got off the phone I was really excited; I told my husband right then. I was happy about it and kind of giggled about it. When I got the agreement in the mail, that made it hit home.”

What made it even more real was receiving her first check from the sale of her invention.

“Getting my first royalty check was amazing; it was very exciting. That’s when everything really hit home.”

Check Part 2 of this story about our client, Deb, and her pet-friendly invention!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.