He cleverly calls them Heatballs, which he markets and sells as small heating devices.
Loosely translated, he claims the Heatball® is not a light bulb, although it works in a traditional lamp. (Ein HEATBALL® ist keine Lampe, passt aber in die gleiche Fassung!)
Yes, the Heatball® creates light, but this is a side effect of the heat-generating process. To cover all bases and appeal to greenies, the website notes that a portion of the purchase price will be donated to rainforest conservation.
Why is this venture worth noting?
In Brand v. Branding | What’s in a Name, we explored the transformation of an overgrown brown mushroom into the coveted, pricey portobello:
The mushroom wasn't reformulated or shrouded in expensive new packaging. It wasn't bigger, smaller, faster, better or offered in a new color. Nothing changed but the name …If the Heatball® is a great idea, the portobello is food for thought.
Almost every small business has at least one brown mushroom lurking in the dark, waiting to become a portobello.
Together, they illustrate the countless opportunities we fail to recognize and pursue. How can you:
- Apply this same innovative perspective to your business?
- Find fresh names, new uses and clever adaptations for tired or time-tested products and services?
- Make simple changes to attract more customers?
If you vowed to make 2011 a truly prosperous year for your small business, this is one area where you can take immediate action.
Meanwhile, it's good to be both inspired and amused as we start a bright new year. If a light bulb can be renamed, rebranded and repurposed, and a tough, ungainly mushroom can be transformed into a culinary delight, who knows what possibilities you might discover?
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Related
Brand v. Branding | What’s the Difference?
Brand v. Branding | What's in a Name?
Heatball® website (German)
Google translation (English)
