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!**

Every now and again we receive correspondence from some of our clients, which is always a great thing.  They are usually checking in on their products, asking some questions or simply dropping a line to give us a nice pat on the back. And what a pat on the back this email from Diane DiRaimo, the inventor of the Hydro Bone, gave our Creationeers and our “Dare to Invent” series!

Diane writes:

Hope all is well with you!!! Every now and then, I visit Davison’s website to see all the new products. [I] just viewed many of the Dare to Invent videos of the many products and the individuals connected to them. They are fun to watch and quite amusing. It was even more fun when I stumbled across the Hydro Bone. Davison has a very impressive staff of creativity!!! To stop and think about all of the ingredients combined into that one bowl to become a mix of energies is so grand. Congrats to Mr. Davison, you and the team!!! Wow!!!

The Hydro Bone, which hydrates pooches in play, has been celebrated by Petside.com’s (an NBC company) Charlotte Reed, who praised the Hydro Bone for, “Combining fun and chewing-refreshment.” And called it “ …the ultimate hydrating chew toy for your pet.” The Hydro Bone also won A 2010 Dog Fancy Magazine Editors’ Choice Award.

Congratulations to the entire Davison team and Diane for forging a great relationship that helps create fantastic pet products that consumers and parched pooches all love!

Recently, we announced that our client, Jean’s, Meatball Baker, which offers a healthy alternative to greasy meatballs, was featured in the most recent Avon catalog and at shopavon.com.

It turns out, that great news was just the first bit of excitement the Meatball Baker has been cooking up lately!  Nearly as soon as we heard that our “Meatball Queen” Became an “Avon Lady,” the Meatball Baker was back at it!

This time, it was Good Morning America’s (GMA) ”Secret Steals and Deals” website that featured the Meatball Baker – and for 60% off at that!  For 48 hours, interested cooks everywhere could purchase the Meatball Baker for $8.80!

GMA also published an accompanying article called “Mom Inventions: Exclusive Deals and Steals, Just for ‘GMA’ Viewers,” which commended our client, Jean, on her invention.

“Mom/grandmother inventor “Jean the Meatball Queen” partnered with Davison, a new-products development company, to develop this rack that holds small, medium and extra-large meatballs letting all the fat drain into the bottom of baker,” the article stated.

We couldn’t wait to be the first to tell Jean the great news either!

“To be truthful, I am not much of a TV watcher, so I really never heard of it until you just told me about it.  I do like the publicity though,” said Jean.   Jean expressed how happy she was about all the exposure her Meatball Baker has received and said she, sometimes, is still in disbelief!

“At times, it is still hard to believe that my idea has truly came to life.  I am seeing my idea used in other ways too, meaning I have seen my pan duplicated with just a change in the handle at a Farm & Fleet store in Eau Claire, Wi.  I have also seen the meatloaf pan where the grease drains through a grid for a healthier meal.  So, I look at it as my idea must have been a good one, if it is being used in all sorts of ways,” said Jean.

As for the possibility of her invention being in the news even more?

“The press can talk about my pan all they want,” said Jean. 

Speaking of great press for Davison-designed products, we also found the Silicone Dessert Bar Pan on a Bed Bath & Beyond advertisement on the NBC Today Show website!

What will be the next Davison-designed product we find out there?  We can’t wait to see!

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

Introducing (Drum roll, please!)…The Davison.com Trade Show Page!

We all know our licensing team “tries longer” to bring our inventors’ ideas to market by attending industry trade shows and expositions. Now, with just a click, current and future clients will know our team is out there representing Davison products across the nation too!

Davison’s President said he thinks the page further reinforces just how well our method works.

“It’s one thing for a company to say they attend trade shows… It’s quite another for a company to say they attend trade shows and have a proven method of getting people’s ideas into the product lines of companies.  We do the latter,” said the President.

Davison’s Vice President of Licensing added, “The page looks great, and it’s another avenue for clients to see the exposure Davison has at trade shows with our corporate clients!”

The new Davison.com Trade Show Page includes a “highlight reel” slide show of photos from previous shows, as well as news updates on each show attended. There’s also a list of upcoming shows, so we can track our team’s journey as they meet with national and international corporations, finding homes for electronics, housewares, hardwares, crafts and pet products!

While Davison regularly attends trade shows in a number of industries, it does not promise that any particular client product will be, or is likely to be, presented or discussed at a trade show.

To check out the new page, visit http://www.davison.com/tradeshows/.

Our client, Ed, loves his dog. But like many dog owners, he has had to tether his canine companion outdoors at times. Usually, it was just a matter of time before the chain or cable would knock over the dog’s food and water bowls as his pet ran around. Sure, the food could be eaten off the ground, but the water would soak into the soil or evaporate, leaving his dog thirsty … no wonder dogs bark when tethered outdoors for any length of time!

Thanks to Ed, this unhappy scenario is a thing of the past.

The retiree from Michigan had an idea for a better way to tether a dog — a stake that sits below ground level, so people and pets don’t trip over it and you never have to move it out of the way to mow the lawn. Ed came to Davison to develop his idea, and now the Better Tether is headed to the market so it can benefit countless dogs and the people who love them.

“I’m really proud I invented a more humane way to tie up your pet outside,” Ed said during his visit to Inventionland. He and Mr. Davison had a great meeting getting to know each other and discussing the Better Tether.

“It was such a pleasure meeting Ed,” said Mr. Davison. “He’s a great guy, and has a real heart for animals.”

The Better Tether wasn’t Ed’s first idea for a new product. Several years ago, he came up with a new tool attachment. He had it built and he even used it in his work. He thought others could also benefit from his invention. The inventor wanted to try to get his product to the market, but he listened to someone who told him it would never be a success.

You guessed it — a while later Ed saw his idea sitting on a store shelf after it was brought to market by someone else. Ed vowed to never let that happen again. When he got the idea for the Better Tether, he was determined to not listen to negative people. Ed chose Davison to develop his idea because he thought the company “sounded more professional.” As we were showing the Better Tether at trade shows, a buyer commented about the problem of tethered dogs always knocking over their bowls. Our corporate team took the porous cup on the top of the post that was designed to go into the ground and expanded and sealed it so it could hold food and water that could never be spilled.

“When we went back to the manufacturer and buyer, they loved it,” said Mr. Davison. “Everyone is loving this product and orders are flying in.”

Ed’s director explained why we made the changes, and he fully understood, said the vice president of new products. “He put his trust in us and let us do what we know how to do best. Obviously, he’s thrilled with his design at this point.”

Most of all, Ed was extremely happy that his product was improved to benefit the lives of dogs. He thought his design was “perfect,” and he connected with his director who thoroughly explained the process and made him feel comfortable. The 80-year-old retiree was “extremely passionate” about pursuing his dream. His friends and family were doubtful, however, and they told him so.

“People told me, ‘Edward you’re dreaming.’ Well, let me dream! This is what I want to do and I think they can put it out there for me,” he would reply.

But it didn’t happen overnight. Even when it was turned down by two other companies before getting licensed, Ed never lost faith in his idea or in Davison…

Check out Part 2 of Ed’s story — there’s so much good stuff we just couldn’t fit it all into one!

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

The Oil Filter Gripper, first licensed in 1993 by Flo Tools International, was one of the first major successful products we designed for our clients. Myles and Lisa hired Davison to research, redesign and develop the innovative tool, which went on to win a bronze IDEA (Industrial Design Excellence Award) in the Consumer Products / Professional Tools category in 1996. 

Myles with Oil Filter Gripper and IDEA award

The Oil Filter Gripper has had a great run and, after 17 years, it is still on the market and going strong. The product, which was designed by Davison’s VP of Inventegration, enables do-it-yourselfers to easily and neatly remove a hot and dirty oil filter.

As can be seen on its product page, the Oil Filter Gripper is now sold by Auto Alley through Amazon.com, and it is still licensed by Flotool / Hopkins Mfg. Corp., which also continues to show it at trade shows, such as the AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo). 

Myles has changed a little over the years, but he is still a big fan of Davison and our unique 9-step process that turned his dream into a reality. The Oil Filter Gripper, like the Davison Method, certainly has stood the test of time!

Inventors, George Davison, VP of Design, 1993

Core77, a global gathering point for designers and enthusiasts, has featured the Meatball Baker, aka Perfect Meatball, in its Gallery of New Products from the 2010 International Home and Housewares Show. View the Meatball Baker below as it is being “seen on TV,” as well as the Core77 gallery page that includes the Davison-designed bakeware among other innovative products at the show.

Our Meatball Baker is still going strong — the innovative bakeware that we designed for our client, Jean, is in the new Spring issue of Harriet Carter. Check it out!

The Perfect Serve, Davison’s new combination pizza cutter and spatula, is now for sale in Taylor Gifts, a popular online retailer. The innovative kitchen gadget makes it easier to neatly slice and serve a pizza without having to cut through repeatedly, or use your fingers to help dish it up.

We developed the Perfect Serve pizza cutter and with a non-slip rubber handle, so users can secure a tight grip as the stainless steel wheel slices through pizza crust and all of the toppings. The cutting wheel is located at the front of the spatula to avoid rubbing knuckles across hot pizza, and the contoured edge conforms to the crust of the pizza for serving it to friends and family. Not only great for pizza, it can also be used for dishing up dessert after dinner! 

This corporate product was invented and licensed by Davison for its own benefit.

Our client, Sharon, was featured on ABC affiliate, KXLY, as well as in her hometown newspaper, “The Latah Eagle.” She described how she came up with her new product idea and told of her amazing visit to Davison. The wife, mother and entrepreneur learned her invention was already selling in Sky Mall and saw the packaged product for the first time during a visit to Inventionland, where her Cool Cot House was developed.
“That blew me away,” said Sharon. “It was way better than my original idea!” She got an even bigger surprise when George Davison, founder and CEO, presented her with her first royalty check. “I cried,” she recalled. “I couldn’t believe all the zeros at the end!”

After five years of work, her dream had become a reality and success had come to her family, which had been struggling through some hard times and stressing about how they were going to finance a move to another town.

“It’s been a long time coming, and I’m so excited and thrilled that it made it somewhere,” Sharon told the team that developed her product. “And it couldn’t have happened without you guys; I’m so grateful.”

Inventor’s Story:
Sharon came up with her idea because she wanted a comfortable, convenient shelter for her pets to use on camping trips or at home. One day in Walmart, she noticed a small demonstration tent and thought that a real tent about that size would be perfect. She found Davison, a new product development firm that provides services to inventors, corporations and entrepreneurs. She submitted her idea online and the team went to work.

The finished product, which was licensed by Hugs Pet Products, features a water-resistant tent with vented roof, raised bed and mesh cot designed to keep dogs and cats cool and dry, even on the hottest or wettest of days. The portable, sturdy and easy to clean unit also offers a convenient alternative to traditional dog houses.

Sharon was not only thrilled with the finished product and royalty check, but by the royal treatment she and her son, Anthony, received at Davison. They toured Inventionland, “the world’s most creative workspace,” and met with Mr. Davison, who she described as “fun, amazing and down-to-earth.” They also got to meet members of the design and licensing team, as well as her new products director, who encouraged Sharon as she struggled to keep her project going throughout financial difficulties.

“I love the whole team,” Sharon said. “They went above and beyond the call of duty – they put their whole heart and effort into my project.”

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