The Healthy Steps product line we conceived in collaboration with Jokari is now on the market! The new kitchen items are designed to help individuals learn how to be healthier and live a lifestyle of wellness. The innovative utensils and tools help control portion sizes and make preparing wholesome foods at home easier.

The new products are: 1. Avocado Pro 2. Butter Pro 3. Cheese Grater 4. Flavor Savers 5. Fruit Pops 6. Ice Cream Scoop 7. Pasta Basket 8. Produce Pro 9. Produce Saver 10. Protein Server 11. Serving Ladle 12. Serving Set 13. Spoon Rest 14. Starch Server 15. Total Tea Infuser
16. Vegetable Server

The line came out of a brainstorming meeting with the corporation, which wanted to develop products that could enable people to live healthier lifestyles by helping them be conscious of portion sizes and also steering them toward healthier foods. Our corporate design team and the executives brainstormed over a two-day period about all the new product ideas.

“It’s an awesome thing to see a huge line of products hit the market all at the same time,” said the design manager. “Just to see it come to fruition is really cool. That’s what we do this for.”

The attractive and user-friendly products are sure to attract the attention of health-conscious consumers. Congratulations to everyone who worked on this awesome new product line!

The Surprise Filled Dessert Pan made its marketplace debut this Sunday during “Cooking on Q Day,” QVC’s big event for hot new kitchen products! The product was featured in the popular “Cooking with David” segment from 12 -4 p.m. EST. Like many other new kitchen products created by Davison, the innovative bakeware got a lot of attention. The product sold more than 3,000 units in the first few minutes!

Check out the segment on QVC’s website

The new pan has posts in the bottom of each tin, so treats can be baked inside cupcakes and muffins, adding a burst of flavor. The idea originated during a brainstorming session with the corporation, which is now producing an entire line of pans based on the treat-filled concept. Among the possible spin-offs in the works are a jumbo cupcake pan and mini muffin pan. The product also will be shown at the 2011 International Housewares Show in March.

“It’s remarkable — here is another idea that will cause a lot of excitement in the cooking industry,” said George Davison, founder and CEO.

“Just when you thought a baking pan could never be innovated, our team reshapes an industry with innovation once again. I’m very proud of our entire team for bringing excitement to bakers everywhere.”

Surprisingly, the inspiration that led to the idea for the pan originated with the old flexible Gumby toys, which were manufactured by pouring the rubber around a post. “This is another example of twisting an old manufacturing technique into a totally different industry to breathe new innovation into it,” said the VP of Design. The design engineer tested the sample and made cup cakes with various fillings. As shown in the photos, he got delicious results.

Mr. Davison knew who the first customer would be — “I think my mom and her ‘grandma girlfriends’ were the first ones buying pans to make surprise filled cupcakes for their grandchildren! Moms and grandmas everywhere will be able to delight their loved ones with cupcakes with candy surprises inside.”

We received two nice surprises from XHP on Monday: 1) The Compact Kitchen Shopping Organizer has aired on QVC!

2) It was a sell-out!

“It did well,” said Davison’s Licensing VP, who got the good news from XHP’s president (apparently, Davison has provided so many great products to the company, it can be difficult keeping track of where all of them are in the marketplace!)

“I was definitely surprised,” said the VP, who knew the product had been shown to the network, but was not aware it had been picked up.

The item, which keeps three lists handy at one time for multiple store lists, “to-do” lists, or for keeping track of projects, was featured recently in the popular “In the Kitchen” with David segment. All units of the limited quantity ordered by QVC were sold. The network likely will air the product again, since it sold out, Dan said.

We originally created the product for a client 14 years ago! Just goes to show that we never give up on a project!

Check out the product selling on QVC by clicking here or on the image above, then on the video tab above the product photo. Congratulations to our client, Rita, and all those who worked on this great new product!

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

The good news about the Silicone Dessert Bar Pan, which we developed for our client, Joseph, just keeps coming in. The manufacturer reported that the pan is “selling very well at retail.” The product will be featured on QVC in October, and it is already in a “full roll out” at Hobby Lobby, Kitchen Collections, Brylane Home, Miles Kimball, Bimart and it was just picked up by Bed, Bath & Beyond! Versions of the pan for holiday-themed treats are also in the works for next year — And to think it all started with a husband who likes chewy brownies! 

Inventor’s Story:
Joseph has always loved brownies with a chewy edge, so much so that he used to slice a pan of brownies before it was finished baking so all the squares would have edges. His wife did not appreciate that and told him so. “She yelled at me,” he recalls, laughing.

The EMS pilot wondered if he could invent an “all edge” brownie pan to keep peace in the family and give him a whole pan full of chewy brownies. He first came up with the idea about 20 years ago when he was a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps. A fellow Marine and friend had spent a “huge amount of money” patenting a new product idea, however, so Joseph didn’t think developing his was an option. He thought that was just the way it was done.

“I really didn’t have any desire (to pursue it) because of what I perceived about the cost,” he said. Several years later, however, he submitted his idea to Davison, and the work began. “They did some modifications to my pan design which I actually thought was an improvement.”

In October, his product will air on QVC, the nation’s most popular home shopping network. In addition, the manufacturer is expanding the product to an entire line of silicone bakeware for holiday-themed treats, including pans for Valentine’s Day and Easter, which will hit the stores in early 2011! Variations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are also in the works.

During the design process, the product evolved from a metal pan to silicone bakeware that remains cool to the touch and bends for easy removal of items after baking; a rigid frame molded into the perimeter makes the pan safe to carry. The 12 candy-bar shaped molds can be filled with brownie batter, Rice Krispie treats, cookie dough, and more – and all the treats come out with four chewy edges.

It took about three years to find a manufacturer, but the first-time inventor decided to keep going, despite the setbacks. 

“It is an emotional roller coaster; up and down,” said Joseph, who can’t wait to see his product on national TV.

“Joseph had his share of struggles along the way, but he never gave up,” said George Davison. “We couldn’t be happier for him and his family.”

Joseph’s father, also a Marine veteran, thought he was a bit foolish for pursuing and investing in his idea over the years; then his son gave him a box from Davison with his packaged product inside.

Joseph recalls, “When he saw the pan and after I told him it would be in stores and on QVC he was quite surprised, and he did change his tone!”

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

We got the good news at the last Licensing meeting and party that one of the first products we designed for a new corporate client, one of the largest manufacturers of organizational items, was going to market. Less than two months later, the Shoe Tubes is selling in Sky Mall! Speaking on behalf of everyone involved with the project, the design manager offered this comment: “Sahweet!”

The project originated on our corporate design team, which was asked to come up with shoe storage concepts. Three designers brainstormed and came up with 15-20 concepts. Davison’s VP of Licensing met with the president of the corporation and a major retail buyer at the International Housewares Show to discuss the concept sketches. The buyer wanted to see 10-11 taken to the next level, so the team built and created models and images.

“The Shoe Tubes is a great example of adding a new twist to an old product that makes it unique and attractive to buyers and consumers,” said the VP. “The corporation saw it and they loved it.”

The product stores and organizes shoes so they are always easy to find. The soft-sided unit, which is made of washable, waterproof fabric in a variety of colors, has three tubes to neatly hold three pairs of shoes under a bed or in another out-of-the-way space. It is collapsible, so it can be stored and shipped flat, making the product very attractive to retailers.

Congratulations to all who worked on this awesome new product!

The #1 superstore domestics retailer has picked up three Hugs Pet Products for a test in 10 of its stores! The Pugz Shoes, Cool Cot and Auto Pet Dish are now selling in BB&B stores in Long Island, N.Y., Tampa, Fla., and several other cities. They are the first Hugs products to hit BB&B’s shelves, but hopefully not the last!

“It’s very exciting,” said Davison’s VP of Licensing. “Hopefully the products will test well and will sell out fast.”

All three products are client projects that we developed through our collaboration with Hugs for our clients: Kay – Pugz, Dennis – Auto Dish, and Deborah – Cool Cot. Pugz, the newest Hugs product to hit the market, resembles the popular Uggs boots, only for pampered canines – so adorable, it’s sure to be a hit! The inventors of the Pugz and Auto Pet Dish have not realized a net profit from their products.

The ideas were submitted and Davison’s design team began working on the projects years ago, in some cases. Once Hugs expressed an interest, the items were finalized by our corporate design team.

“It’s really cool that we can go back into our inventory and pull out something a corporation is looking for,” said the design manager. “It’s just a matter of the right company at the right time, and this is a perfect example of that.”

Congratulations to our clients and to everyone who worked on these great new products!

Four new ‘wellness’ products for which we created all the packaging, photography and in-use shots are now selling on Walmart.com!

TheComfort Me Spa Sets and the Relaxzen 5-Motor Massage Mat with Heat are the first in a new line of more than 20 individual wellness items that we have worked on for Comfort Products, as we help the manufacturer branch out into other areas. Davison’s corporate design manager was a bit surprised when he came across the items that just went up on Walmart’s website. “It definitely was nice to stumble across them,” he said.

Although the website does not show the packaging, it does use the product images that we provided, as well as the in-use shots , which feature Davison employees.

We initially created planograms for the kits so Comfort Products could present the items to another buyer. Walmart was quick to express interest, however, and decided to first test the products on their website.

The corporate team has just received two additional new items from Comfort Products to add to the line for which we will do photography now and create the packaging later. More products in the line are sure to hit the market, and all the new products soon will be added to our product pages, as well.

“It’s a nice surprise, and it’s great to see that we continue to get more and more D’s on the market,” said Davison’s senior category director of licensing. He soon will have more good news to report about Comfort Products items with the Davison “D” that are slated to go to market next month – So stay tuned!

The Bucket Bench, which we created for Faucet Queen, has had its first production run, and 1,000 units are on a boat and on their way to the marketplace! We recently received the production approval sample from the factory; which was just about perfect.

“It looked fantastic,” said the creative coach of special operations. “It looked exactly like our prototype.”

The product is an addition to the Davison-designed Helping Hand line, bringing the total to 10 car cleaning items. It is designed to hold and keep all the
items while giving the user a convenient and comfortable place to sit while cleaning and detailing a vehicle.

The Bucket Bench will be for sale on Faucet Queen’s website along with the rest of the line and will be available for orders. The product will be readied for a bigger launch into the marketplace by early next year. Congratulations to all who worked on this great new product!

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!

Our client, Jean, visited us so we could celebrate her success. At a delicious dinner held in Inventionland of spaghetti and meatballs (prepared in the Meatball Baker), she was presented with a gleaming covered tray that concealed a large royalty check. Jean responded with shock, amazement and tears of joy.

Jean and her husband, Donald, said they may use the money to move to a warmer climate when he retires, so they can enjoy their love of golf and get away from the bitter northern Minnesota winters. The couple was blown away by Inventionland. “I love this place, this is awesome; it’s like a dreamland,” said Jean. “You can’t even put it into words, it’s so cool.”

The Meatball Baker was featured and sold out two more times on QVC; apparently they know a hit when they see one! The product was presented during the popular segment “In the Kitchen with David.” The Meatball Baker also earned a Customer Top Rating on QVC.com. Most of the customers who rated the product gave it 5 out of 5 stars! To quote just a few: “Wow! Whatta Pan!” “WONDERFUL PAN!” and “I would LOVE to MEET the person who invented this marvelous pan. Talk about GENIOUS!!”

The product is also selling in Bed Bath & Beyond, Taylor Gifts, SkyMall, and many other stores!

Inventor’s Story:

We developed the new product for our client, Jean, a busy homemaker. She came up with her idea after getting discouraged whenever she cooked meatballs. They always got flat and cooked unevenly in the frying pan or oven and would sit in their own grease – unhealthy as well as unappetizing. “I just didn’t like the way mine turned out,” Jean said. “I love to cook, although I’m not that good; but I love to try new things.”

One day, she came up with a solution that would solve both problems. She found Davison and submitted her idea, and the design team went to work. The final product has a unique, rounded rack system that holds and preserves the shape of meatballs and other foods, enabling them to cook evenly while keeping them completely out of the grease.

The product was licensed by a company specializing in extraordinary products for the home. Jean visited Davison while on vacation in 2007 to meet with those working on her project.

“It’s been great – you guys are very knowledgeable,” she said of her experience with Davison. “I was new to all this and I learned a lot.”

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