Silly Bandz

Various Silly Bandz

SillyBandz are a brand of silicone rubber bands with shapes including animals, objects, and letters. They are distributed by BCP Imports and are generally worn as necklaces and bracelets by middle school and highschool student (and even elementary students). Developed in 2009, they first started to gain popularity in the 2009 holiday season. They have been banned in some school districts as being a distraction.

Concept

The toys come in dozens of shapes, colors, and themes, and can be used as a regular rubber band. On someone's wrist, they look like a regular bracelet, and when taken off they go into their original shape. They are often worn many at a time, like sleeves, and are traded like other collectibles.

Children playing with Silly Bandz wristbands

The idea was inspired by shaped silicone office products that were created with the hopes of being a green product. They did not work as company's did not want to spend that much on Rubber Bands. They were then made larger to fit as bracelets and re-branded as Silly Bandz by Robert Croak. The toys are sold in packs of 24 for about $4.95. A number of competing manufacturers make the product. BCP Imports, located in Toledo, Ohio, supplies Silly Bandz as well as the Livestrong wristbands.

Distribution and reception

Silly Bandz were first sold on-line in November 2008 then gained popularity in Birmingham, Alabama stores in the fall of 2009 and were widespread across the south by October 2009. They then moved up the east coast of the United States, reaching New Jersey, Long Island, and Staten Island in November the same year. As of April 2010, Sillybandz sold the bracelets to 8,000 stores across the U.S., and seven spots on Amazon's April 22 list of best-selling toys and games were occupied by the bracelets.

One parent attributed the toy's success to being easily lost and broken, and said that, "If your friend has the princess kind, then you have to have the princess kind, too." Seth McGowan, a toy industry analyst for Needham & Company, said it is refreshing that the "lowest of technologies" is appealing to children. Silly Bandz have been banned in classrooms for being too distracting, and parents have fought over them in stores. There have also been problems where the children's teacher has banned trading Silly Bandz because they cause too much trouble.

Types

There are 13 styles of Silly Bandz with 6 different shapes in each style with the exception of the Alphabet style which has 36 different styles to match the alphabet.

External links

• The Silly Bandz homepage
• The Silly Bandz Facebook Page
• The Silly Bandz Twitter Page