Our take on the "fresh perspectives" theme was that we wanted to create something that was more than just a one-size-fits-all type of product. There are a lot of different fidget gadgets on the market and the demand for them is on the rise right now. However all of these products for sale are very cookie cutter and may not work for every individual. Products such as the Fidget Cube and the Spinners are not only bulky and obtrusive, but they do not work for every person. We understand that everyone is unique and requires a personalized way to fidget, so we developed these customizable charms to appeal to each individual persons needs.
The Fidget Cube is a very popular gadget being sold now, however the product as a whole has a lot of flaws. Most buyers of the fidget cube only use one or two sides to help them focus or feel more relaxed, so the rest of the sides are a waste and left unused by the particular user. The way we want to fix that is by keeping the charms simple so that people can choose which charm they would use most and only purchase that single charm. We like to think that in this case, less is more. Our products are small, individual charms that are able to become any type of jewelry desired so that each persons fidgeting needs are met. What these other products do not consider is the individuality of every persons mental health. While mental health is something every person has, that does not mean that everyone maintains or improves mental health in the same way. It is important to help people fidget and relax in a way that caters to their specific needs.
Another factor of fidgeting that we are working to improve is the obtrusive quality that the current options tend to have. Unlike the cube and the spinner, our charms are easily blended into everyday clothing and key chains and are meant to be looked at as pieces of jewelry or part of a key set. This helps to make fidgeting a little more subtle as some may not want to advertise their need to relax themselves or focus. It also keeps the fidgeting to a non-distracting level whereas the spinner and cube is noticed by others and becomes a distraction in the workplace or classroom. We believe at FLY Charms that fidgeting is meant to help people focus, not distract them.
Over the course of this project, these fidget toys have only been getting more and more popular. With this popularity is also coming exacerbated teachers not sure how to handle this new fad and craze. We have gotten feedback from many teachers at both middle and high schools and this is what we have gathered about our FLY Charms compared to the other toys on the market.
• BULK
The charms like the spinners that have gotten popular recently are pretty big, and that alone is distracting. Loanis' sister, Celeste, made a pretty good point about the bulk of these toys. Since they're so large, they require two hands, and if one hand would be used, it's most likely the dominant hand. This takes away attention and time from school work where they'd need to be writing and such. Furthermore, the size does cause distraction because of the fact that it's such a large attracted of attention. FLY Charms are the perfect small size to allow usage and avoid distraction, which is good to avoid these sorts of problems.
• SOUND
Natalie has mentioned how some kids have been spinning the spinners and then putting them on the desk, which causes some loud noises. A majority of our charms are good in this too. The roller charm has a bit of noise, but I think the sound is soft enough to avoid any sort of issues. The sound is also part of the appeal, since sound is something that some people use in fidgeting.
• MONEY AND COST
On the topic of the sound, Loanis and Joselyn discussed how an issue with these toys is that people are buying the cheaper bootleg versions of them, which has lower overall quality than the more costly ones. Because of this, the sound is less subtle and other problems are present. FLY Charms doesn't have any of these issues though, since they're relatively cheap to make and they're already top quality.
• MOVEMENT
These spinners are really, really distracting. The way they move (in addition to everything else) really draw the attention of those around them, especially when people are using them like toys instead of discreetly, as people are. FLYCharms, since they're on the smaller side, avoid being distraction or have any obnoxious movements, while still doing their proper jobs.
• SHARING
This is one of the worst things about the spinner charms; having them and using them is one thing, but then passing them around and sharing them with people is another. This is where the whole "needing it" comes into play, since this gives the impression that the spinner is nothing but a toy to some people instead of a tool they use to focus. FLY Charms, however, are on chains and hooks, which makes passing around and sharing pretty tedious, which helps detour people from doing it. If showing or sharing occurs, it'll likely be people reaching to fiddle with the charm and then not much else.
Overall, FLY Charms work around all of the issues that were expressed by teachers and are good replacements for these other fidget toys.
• BULK
The charms like the spinners that have gotten popular recently are pretty big, and that alone is distracting. Loanis' sister, Celeste, made a pretty good point about the bulk of these toys. Since they're so large, they require two hands, and if one hand would be used, it's most likely the dominant hand. This takes away attention and time from school work where they'd need to be writing and such. Furthermore, the size does cause distraction because of the fact that it's such a large attracted of attention. FLY Charms are the perfect small size to allow usage and avoid distraction, which is good to avoid these sorts of problems.
• SOUND
Natalie has mentioned how some kids have been spinning the spinners and then putting them on the desk, which causes some loud noises. A majority of our charms are good in this too. The roller charm has a bit of noise, but I think the sound is soft enough to avoid any sort of issues. The sound is also part of the appeal, since sound is something that some people use in fidgeting.
• MONEY AND COST
On the topic of the sound, Loanis and Joselyn discussed how an issue with these toys is that people are buying the cheaper bootleg versions of them, which has lower overall quality than the more costly ones. Because of this, the sound is less subtle and other problems are present. FLY Charms doesn't have any of these issues though, since they're relatively cheap to make and they're already top quality.
• MOVEMENT
These spinners are really, really distracting. The way they move (in addition to everything else) really draw the attention of those around them, especially when people are using them like toys instead of discreetly, as people are. FLYCharms, since they're on the smaller side, avoid being distraction or have any obnoxious movements, while still doing their proper jobs.
• SHARING
This is one of the worst things about the spinner charms; having them and using them is one thing, but then passing them around and sharing them with people is another. This is where the whole "needing it" comes into play, since this gives the impression that the spinner is nothing but a toy to some people instead of a tool they use to focus. FLY Charms, however, are on chains and hooks, which makes passing around and sharing pretty tedious, which helps detour people from doing it. If showing or sharing occurs, it'll likely be people reaching to fiddle with the charm and then not much else.
Overall, FLY Charms work around all of the issues that were expressed by teachers and are good replacements for these other fidget toys.
As part of our partnership with Wear Your Label, we are wearing their limited edition Fresh Perspective shirts to Expo. You can read more about the story behind these shirts here.