My middle-school-aged son was recently telling me about the latest craze in schools these days, Silly Bandz. They’re little shaped rubber bands that the kids are all wearing on their wrists. All kinds of animals (from current to extinct as well as mythical), musical instruments, people, holiday shapes and symbols—and of course in every variety of bright colors. Who knew something like this would take off? Just like the cabbage patch kids, Tickle-Me-Elmo, the Wii and Wii Fit… although I suspect the latter to be more planned demand brought about by controlled availability, but that’s another topic altogether.
What intrigues me about this latest craze is the unexpectedness of it. I suppose price might have something to do with it, since this craze can satisfy a child for only $2. You get a packet of 12, I think—and we won’t stop to consider the actual cost of producing such little things, because that, too is fodder for another topic. Surely in this economic environment a low-priced craze adds to its allure.
Wouldn’t you love to be able to track it back to the first moment this craze started? Did one child (no doubt a popular one!) buy a pack, wear a dozen of these colorful little bands on her wrist to school, then beg her friends to buy them so they could trade? Or did it happen simultaneously across the country? How did it catch on—exactly when? Where? Why?
I’m sure marketing people would love to know this magic formula, but so would most authors I know, including myself. We’d all love to write a book that catches on in such a phenomenal way.
Maybe someone will be able to figure it out someday, but I doubt it. I think that’s part of the magic of a “phenomenal craze.” There’s a mystery to it. And I guess that’s the way it should be.
I saw a news article on this subject. Funny how these crazes hit, isn't it? Thanks for sharing. Cheers~
Hasn't hit NZ yet, I wonder how long that'll take..
It'll be interesting to see how far this craze reaches – and how long it takes! Keep me posted, Nicole. 🙂