SANTA CLARITA, Calif.—Like any brand or pleasure product, it all starts with a sketch; an idea on a piece of paper.
Shots America’s new Vive collection is no different: Two and a half years ago the Shots team came up with the idea of creating a luxury brand filled with unique products, all of them with their own special features, curves and shapes that customers would really appreciate.
With technology becoming more and more advanced and the increasing release of toys every year, it was almost a mission impossible for the company’s designers to distinguish themselves from the rest. Nine out of 10 designs didn’t make it past the original sketch, but eventually the new brand came to them.
The creators knew the products wouldn’t be successful if all they did was look good: They also needed to perform, yet be unique and innovative.
They began asking questions, including why are cock rings round? Knowing a downside of rings is that they can roll or shift from place while in use, they started looking to solve the problem. That led to questioning other products and focusing on how to be unique and innovative with products that people already know and love.
“Once they finished their designs and figured out all the features of the toys, the process of turning a piece of paper into reality began,” company rep said in a release. “But there was still one major decision to be made before the first physical part could be created. The choice of material will make or break any design so it had to be a perfect match to the purpose of the toy. The search was a lengthy process that they couldn’t rush as they had to look at all the available possibilities. Eventually an extremely soft silicone type popped up and only one touch of this material made them fall in love instantly.”
The designers and creative team also knew packaging is a major element when it comes to the success of a product. In the case of Vive, creating the packaging took almost as much time as the toy design process.
“The packaging of the product had to be attractive in order for the consumers to fall in love with the product!” the company release said. “It had to catch their eye in the store immediately, but it also had to contain a product description and specifications for people to understand the purpose of the products.”
After a year of trial and error, the team finally had the toys ready … on paper.
To bring it all to fruition, the team started with a 3D print of the design. Once the Vive design crew felt the ergonomics and aesthetics were falling in place, they sent everything to the production facility with a list of materials that should be used and the features the products had to contain.
From there, it was all about receiving samples and making adjustments to the products, the most time-consuming part of the design process. Once the creators, test panels, sales department and more are satisfied, then they have the final sample, or what is known as the “golden” sample.
“Approving a golden sample is like seeing the first steps of a child,” the release said. “The product is growing from a- design to an actual product. Then it finally gets reviewed one more time by the Vive designers, testers and sales department.
“There are no words to describe the thoughts and emotions when you see, feel and actually hold the final sample of a product that took so much blood, sweat and tears to create it,” the statement continued, “No words to describe the feeling of having created a successful and luxury brand that has become an instant hit at its first release!”
Vive, the newest brand from Shots America, is the latest to go through this long and difficult process and become a reality on retailers shelves nationwide. For more on the brand that started as a simple idea on a piece of paper, visit ShotsAmerica.com.
