Janet Brown-Smith's 15 minutes of fame will be condensed to six minutes.
The Plymouth hairdresser hopes that will be more than enough time to gain valuable exposure for her invention, a pet exercise toy, on QVC's "Decade of Discovery" Friday, Sept. 2. Sometime between 2-4 p.m. that day, Brown-Smith will pitch her invention, which has a handle designed and produced at Eastern Michigan University's Center for Product Research and Development (CPRD).
"I will be going on the air to sell my product, thanks to the wonderful prototype design (of the handle) by EMU. The handle has made such a difference. It's not just another pet toy," said Brown-Smith.
 |
NATIONAL EXPOSURE: Janet Brown-Smith
demonstrates "Chase-It," her pet exercise
toy invention with her dog, Kimmy.
Eastern Michigan University's Center for
Product Research and Development
designed the ergonomic handle for the toy,
which will receive national exposure on
QVC Sept. 2.
|
Brown-Smith brought her idea to EMU's CPRD, which designed an ergonomic handle for her pet exercise toy. Created in 2002, the center offers individuals and companies help with patent searches, product design and prototypes for medical, electronic and mechanical devices. Its projects have included an idea that may save lives and another that saves time and energy.
"It's a long road to retail success and she's gotten the furthest of anyone (using the center) when it comes to consumer products," said Phil Rufe, an instructor with the CPRD.
After a nationwide search among 5,000 inventors in 10 cities, QVC, a shopping network, selected Brown-Smith as one of only 100 people whose product will get exposure in the QVC National Product Search. Her product, "Chase-it," costs $24.95 and is currently available at www.chaseitpettoys.com .
The toy has a handle on a fiberglass rod, covered with braided nylon, which is tethered to a rope with a stuffed animal attached at the end. Everyone can use the toy, including a person in a wheelchair or anyone with difficulty gripping or arthritis, she said. By swinging the handle and twirling the rod, the toy moves causing animals to run and jump for the toy.
Brown-Smith, who described her QVC experience as an "unbelievable blur," recently went to Sedona, Ariz., to practice her on-air performance.
"They told me to slow down, that I talk too fast; to get my hair away from my face (viewers couldn't see her profile); and not to wear certain colors like red (it distracts viewers from the product)," she said.
Brown-Smith said her QVC appearance would give her invention overnight exposure an,d hopefully, help sales "take off." She currently has sold approximately 400 of the toys.
"It's a high-quality product," she said, pointing out that it has passed QVC's 200-lb. quality assurance crush test. "I'll let the nation find out about it on QVC."
In the future, she plans to offer a smaller version of her pet toy for cats.
"If I don't do it myself, someone else will do it," said Brown-Smith.
