“It is a good idea, but a bit disingenuous to pass it off as your own. My friends and I drank oversized, warm bottles of Piel’s beer in bottles just like this in the late 80’s. Kudos if you came by the idea honestly, but it’s not new, so can you honestly pass it off as your idea?”

Throughout history, many similar or identical good or great ideas had been independently invented over and over again by people all over the world. Not infrequently, the first to commercialize the idea is not even the first to invent it. Many inventions never see the light of day because of factors other than the merit of the idea (lack of knowledge about marketing, patents, capital and a host of other reasons). As a (prolific) inventor, I have had to abandon over 50 original inventions of my own in the past 15 years. Once I started doing patent searches on a particular project, I’d not infrequently find that someone had either invented the exact same item I have in mind (still not commercialized, as best as I can determine) or something very close to it. Just think how many more could have invented the same thing and never got around to patenting it!

In reality, few of us are readily able to ensure with certainty that no one else had ever come up with the same idea in this world. The point I am trying to make is that just because something is already out there or had been commercialized and later abandoned for whatever reason does not detract from the creativity or originality of the subsequent inventor(s) who INDEPENDENTLY came up with the same or similar valuable solution. What would be even more impressive is if a small team on a shoe string budget came up with the same idea that a huge corporation spending mega bucks came up with.

Congrats, Amy, on a creative marketing concept.

This idea was not intented at first. It only came about when me and my partner, B. Hager (under the instructor of K. Street) wanted to do a 360 advertising campaign for this beverage. Meaning, besides print ads, outdoor, ambient media, packaging, interactive, we also venture into areas such as product design. We wanted it to come off as pure fun and joy. The strategy is to bring out the fun side of you thru IZZE soda, as you can hear it from the title of this design. For we believe there is always a ‘naughty’ side to everyone, irregardless of age. Besides this bottle opener, we even have ideas such as whistling cap from the bottle, we redid a new packaging design just for 2 people, and even propose idea to install bubbles coming out from the bus shelter (like those soap bubbles you play when you were young) with the support of the graphic elements you see on the bottle and music to give a better brand experience. We also had a ‘catch me if you can’ kinda of wall projector-turned-graffiti that involves the participation of the public… and so on.

Anyways, after we came out with the design, (which it was indeed a very simple design) I’ve heard of rumors that it had been done. (FYI… “it had been done” was quite a common phrase in this industry.) But no one could provide me enough evidence to support the rumors… of the actual product.

(look at 00:14 in the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0XXtVGnhk

This was called “Bouteille-ouvre-bouteille” but it was not a commercial success…

Also Rechiew, I can tell that you were a graphic designer because of how well the images display the idea.

-Ash
Product Designer.

Out of the curiosity, if this idea had been done… I would love to check it out and it’s interesting to see it if it really gets produced in the market. Any links, please… ?!