Kids Of All Ages Are Experiencing the "Wow" Factor Of This New Patent Pending Product
Thomasville, GA. (February 13, 2011) – For the past two years, shaped rubber bandz have been one of the
hottest toy products in the country, but up until now, kids could not appreciate the shape of the guess-what-
I’m-wearing silicone rubber bandz by just looking at a friend’s wrist. Is it a pet, a princess or a piece of fruit?
You’d have to actually take it off to find out!
Enter Fungrins, LLC, manufacturers and marketers of PiggyBack Bandz (www.piggybackbandz.com), a
patent-pending version that takes the elastic bracelet to a whole new level – perpendicular to your wrist! The
company cleverly promotes it as “The Bandz That Stand™.” Essentially, Fungrins has incorporated a mini
shaped band that “piggybacks” on top of the traditional shaped rubber band allowing the top shape to be
easily seen when placed on the wrist.
So what is the ‘wow’ factor? PiggyBack Bandz at
first glance looks similar to many other band
bracelets until you slide it on your wrist and watch it
stand at attention, upright. Layer the bandz with one,
two or a half-dozen more to create a word, a secret
code, a design or whatever the imagination whips
up. Then trade with your friends!
“Who would have thought,” exclaimed toy industry
veteran Richard Gottlieb, “someone could ‘top’ the
concept of the shaped rubber band, pun intended, but
these guys have come up with a truly novel and very
clever concept. I personally witnessed kids’ reactions
in Chicago last month at CHITAG (the Chicago Toy
& Game Fair™) and was bowled over by their
excitement.”
Another Chicago CHITAG observer agreed. Oakleesguide.com -- The Go-To
Guide For On-The-Go Families -- picked the hottest toys of 2010 including the
shaped rubber band craze and blogged, “PiggyBack Bandz takes this toy a step
further by adding a mini-shape that stands up on your arm when you wear the
band. Very fun!”
Bandz in every imaginable shape, color and style have been introduced including bandz in tie dye, glitter,
glow in the dark, camo and UV activated, however, most bandz are very similar to each other. Even so, these
collectible and colorful bracelets have become an estimated $300 million business. According to newspaper
and online accounts, in less than 2 years, the fun stretchy shaped rubber bandz have triggered a mania among
schoolkids and penetrated celebrity fashion circles. Yahoo’s 10 Obsessions in 2010 ranked them ninth – just
This girl's candid reaction, at the Chicago Toy & Game
Fair™, is typical of how kids respond when they see
PiggyBack Bandz for the first time.
behind the iPhone (#1) and TV’s Glee (#4)! The collectible,
addictive nature of the bandz have made them popular with
boys and girls alike. As the Wall Street Journal best
explained, they “have become an accessory de rigueur on
elementary school playgrounds.”
Speaking of the universal craze among kids, “the appeal of
bandz lies in their perfect combination of being affordable,
collectible and tradable,” says Jackie Breyer, editor in chief
of The Toy Book, a monthly magazine. Now there’s a new
way to piggyback on this trend plus stand out (and up) from
the crowd!
“I predict PiggyBack Bandz will be a very hot
item in 2011,” added Gottlieb who blogs “Out of
the Toy Box” for Playthings Magazine and
comments in his Global Toy News collective.
“Every kid who has been into collecting shaped
rubber bandz is going to want these.”
That prediction may be realized as soon as the
doors open to the 2011 American International
Toy Fair in New York. PiggyBack Bandz is a
first time exhibitor, and will be showing off its
improved bandz with brighter colors at Booth
5575 where anyone and everyone in the toy
industry gathers from around the world.
There are currently 8 PiggyBack Bandz themes.
Five new and improved packs: Glam, Football,
Sealife, Cool Rides and Safari, feature brighter
colors. The Glam, Alphabet and Extra Letters
packs now come in funky tie-dye patterns. A
ninth theme, Baseball, will be available just in
time for opening day. Each retails for $4.99 per
pack of 25 bandz (26 for each letter of the
alphabet).
Purchasing PiggyBack Bandz is easy – shop their
website, www.piggybackbandz.com or maybe
you’re lucky enough to live near one of the
specialty stores that carry them. To keep up on
the newest styles, follow them on Facebook,
Twitter and Youtube. Canadian kids can find the
stand-up bandz at any of the 70 Toys ‘R’ Us
stores in Canada.
