Howzabout…

The general concept is for a fantasy novel along the lines of an alternate history; the premise is that you can take a modern day encyclopedia back in time, give it to one person and see what ensues. (This idea owes a very large debt to Orson Scott Card’s PASTWATCH: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. A terrific read from a fantastic writer; one of my all-time faves. And, of course, I would be remiss not to give a nod to Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future: Part II).

What I find intriguing (and fun) is to deliberate over who would best use such terrific knowledge in a responsible way and would seek to help humanity rather than simply advance them self. Of course one must account for the fact that simply being intelligent enough to appreciate what they had wouldn’t necessarily mean they would be able to act on it. Access to resources and having a certain amount of influence would seem to be basic prerequisites to successfully leveraging such a resource. For example, if you go back too far, then the means to do much about the technical side of things would perhaps be overly limiting. (If the Bene Gesserit taught us anything though, it was that a well-laid plan may take a while to execute!)

I believe this falls more into the category of “imaginings” (thanks Alexis) than the more self-important “concepts.” My personal first impulse was Thomas Jefferson, but he was pretty arrogant and might have been prone to forging ahead a bit recklessly for achievement during his lifetime. For now my vote is Ben Franklin.

I would like to hear other suggestions as I know my perspective is ridiculously Western and obvious. Regardless, I think it could make for some interesting discussions.

Golf course owners are constantly looking for ways to speed play, but a cart carrying two people can only go but so fast. By creating single-person carts this limitation would be overcome, but this idea is good on paper alone because it eliminates the all-important factor of socialization between players.

The Problem
One vehicle carrying people to disparate locations after every golf shot slows play.

The Opportunity
Individuals that go directly to their ball without leaving the fairway for the cart path would play the hole at optimal speed.

The Insight
By creating some sort of localized audio/visual network between the golf carts of players in the same group the socialization aspect of golfing could actually be enhanced since it would change the dynamic from two groups of two to one group of four (or whatever the combination).

The Execution
Bring modern telecommunications into the world of the golf cart fleet. Hands-free audio on specific frequencies seems the logical first step.

The Selling Point
Early adopters of this paradigm shift would make a golf course newsworthy and the faster play would allow for more rounds to be played.

The Incidental Benefits
Single player carts would cost less to power and would do less harm to the playing surface. Additionally, the fun factor of driving is now extended to each player.

Children enjoy the experience of being inside of a tent, but instances of camping are rare even in families of outdoor enthusiasts. What is not rare is the universal struggle to get young children to go to bed. Combining these two facts makes for a wonderfully simple product that every kid would love.

The Problem
Homemade forts and tents are rarely sturdy enough to last and are generally not as cool as they could be.

The Opportunity
Create a simple collection of tent poles that allow a child to sleep in a tent without ever leaving their bedroom.

The Insight
Kids already create their own tents by somehow raising their bedsheets into the air. The problem is that this defeats the practical purpose of the sheets and is unlikely to hold up even over night.

The Execution
Create a network of “ribs” that would arc over a bed and would have simple mechanisms for securing a spare bed sheet overhead. A base support of some sort could be inserted between the mattress and foundation. There are many opportunities for add-ons like pouches, reading lights and shelves which could span the space between the support poles.

The Selling Point
Making it cool for a kid to go to bed would be invaluable to weary parents.

The Incidental Benefits
A natural extension of this bedroom activity would be to go into the backyard and beyond to try the “real thing.”

Kids may not like getting hurt, but they certainly do enjoy sporting a bandage or two (or three!) afterwards.

The Problem
Children are often emotionally more upset than physically hurt by small nicks and cuts.

The Opportunity
Distracting a child from a possible crying fit with a constructive and fun activity.

The Insight
Arts and crafts are enjoyable and encourage original thought and the impulse to create. Parents are always on the look out for opportunities to interact with their children in ways that are thought provoking, and they certainly want to see their hurting children feel better as quickly as possible.

The Execution
The spongy material used to manufacture plastic bandages could be sold in sheets that have a backing with shape templates printed on them. The outlined shapes (from butterflies to lightening bolts) could be cut out exactly by a child or parent, or they could create their own unique shapes. Colors could be layered since each sheet in the package would have a sticky backing. A separate sheet of sterilized gauze squares would be included.

The Selling Point
Certain areas are hard to attach a precut bandage to, and this would allow for customized bandages. The fun factor of the creating your own bandage is appealing to a kid, and the opportunity to alleviate the stress of a child in an interactive way that allows a parent to spend time with their little one is invaluable. Various packages could be geared towards different sexes and age groups. Character tie-ins would abound, and these interactive kits would create a need for replacement faster than normal.

The Incidental Benefits
This model would be appropriate for adults as well and would tap into an area where the buying public already is “customizing” pre-cut bandages.

03/05/2008
FIRST OFFICIAL CORPORATE RESPONSE or “What We Are Up Against”

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