My favorite new product in a while is Heelys (www.heelys.com)– the sneaker with the wheel in the heel. It’s a spectacular product with a great name. Imagine being in the early development meeting with the lawyers, though, trying to explain the upside of a sneaker with a banana peel on the heel? This is was bold play.
As is the case with Burger King, whose broiled burgers you experience anytime you’re within an 1/8 of a mile of the store, Heelys are a walking, talking billboard of self-promotion. Have you ever seen a kid go gliding by on Heelys without a smile on his or her face? Plus the way the kids ambulate is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It’s absolutely mesmerizing.
But one of the best parts of the product launch is the name. Heelys. It’s descriptive, fun, memorable and meaningful. The name really delivers.
