About iFetch:
“Born in Austin. Built for fun.”
All good inventions begin at the brink of necessity. As the Hamill family was busy with homework and other occupying tasks, their dog, Prancer, continued to drop his ball at their feet for a never ending game of fetch. Grant, the son of the Hamill family said, “What if we made something that could throw the ball for Prancer so I can finish my homework?” And it was in that moment that iFetch was born. The entire Hamill family worked together to create prototype after prototype until the perfect version of iFetch emerged.
iFetch is a small machine that shoots out tennis balls for the dog to chase. This machine allows for dogs to be entertained and exert energy, while their owners can simultaneously get their work done.
Since its creation in 2013, iFetch has performed better than anyone imagined. In the first month alone, the Hamill family received $88,000, which is four times what they projected. In that first year iFetch also won “Best New Product” and “Best in Show” at SuperZoo. While the Hamill family is loving the success of their product, their favorite part is seeing all the happy pups around the world enjoying their new game.
The Challenge:
The Hamill Family wants to expand their product line, but lack the experience and necessary tools to execute a new product launch in time for the holiday season. The people of iFetch thoroughly searched for award winning pet designers to help expand their business.
Enter PrideBites:
We had the pleasure of being the muscle behind the Hamill family in partnership to create their new product, iDig.
With a short time frame in mind, the people behind the success of iFetch, needed our help to get things going. Prototyping began in July and the product needed to be ready for its holiday season launch, and spoiler alert, we did it.
We created a detailed production process and helped navigate the Hamill’s time during overseas production. While the Hamill family is chalk-full of great ideas, they wanted the entire execution taken care of from production to roll-out.
At the 2018 SuperZoo iDig won “Best Dog Toy” at the New Product Showcase, ultimately ending this exciting journey in victory.
About iDig:
Thinking back to the basics of instinctive animal behavior, we sought to create a product to fit another essential dog need: the need to dig. This product not only entertains dogs for hours, but it also protects your couch, pillows, or anything else your dogs can dig their paws into.
iDig is equipped with layers. Owners can fill each layer with toys and/or treats and then like clockwork, the dogs begin to dig. Each layer indicates a new level of difficulty in order to challenge the dogs more or less. With the layer challenges and the act of digging, this toy is both mentally and physically stimulating for the dogs.
Key Takeaways:
We love helping fellow businesses in the dog community dip their paws into new waters! We can execute product design, creation, and launch, and we love doing it. While awards and profits are excellent key performance indicators, the best measurement of success is entertaining the world’s furry friends.