1. Materials – Fridge Board
The materials needed to create the Fridge Board are not extensive. First would be the backer which would be Natural Cork Sheets. Each sheet is $4.99 and to create one Fridge Board it will take a little more than 1 sheet. Ordering in multiple quantities allows for the board to come in one continuous sheet which would help with custom orders. The scrap will also be minimized if sheets are come in a continuous form. The next item needed is the metal that will be attached to the cork board, Stainless Steel Sheet 304. One sheet of 12"x18" stainless steel is $31.58 and would be the standard size for the Fridge Board. Custom orders would be priced dependent on what size is needed. The next item needed in the creation of the Fridge Board is Instant Bonding Glue – INSTANT JET. The bonding glue is $11.99 per bottle and would be used to bond the metal to the cork sheets. The expensive glue is required due to the types of material that are being bonded together. The final item needed to finish creating the Fridge Board is Scotch Removable Adhesive Putty. The putty costs $2.99 per package and I would use approximately ¼ of the package per Board (not purchased from Inventables.com). It is important to use a product that will not damage the refrigerator yet can stick to almost any surface. Putty is easily removable, can stick to any surface.
2. New Product, and application of materials The product I am creating is called The Fridge Board. The stainless steel sheet, approximately .0002 inches thick, will be glued to the cork board, which will have an overhang of 1 ½ inch all around the steel. The cork board will give other options of pinning items, not be magnetic, to the board. The final product will be approximately 15" x 21" and can be secured to the refrigerator by adhesive putty, which can easily be removed and positioned in another area of the home. For those with odd shaped refrigerators or for those that would like to use the board in a different space, custom orders would be available.
The kitchen is the hub of so many families, especially those with young children. Often when walking into a kitchen you see pictures, magnets, artwork and school assignments scattered across the refrigerator, a kind of catch all spot for important information. Many new refrigerators are no longer metal, and therefore not magnetic, which makes magnets and hanging of pictures and menu difficult if not impossible. The main purpose for this board is for those of us who do not have magnetic refrigerators and would like to put pictures, kid's magnets, calendars, appointments and other family related items on their refrigerator in a convenient way.
3. What type of utility does it provide? The Fridge Board provides form utility to customers. The materials alone do not do what together the board creates. Steel, cork board and putty are all great materials but do nothing much for you without each other. The steel, cork board and putty together create a product that allows for display and organizing of family information. The Fridge Board also provides place utility. The convenience of organizing artwork, school assignments and magnets into one place allows for easy access for parents and children. No longer do you have to tape that artwork to a cabinet or leave it lying around. It is easy to pin on the cork board or use a magnet to hang it. When it's time to replace it with a new project, it's just as easy to remove and replace.
4. Who is the target market? My target market is middle class families with at least one parent who works outside the home and has children. More specifically, I would target working mothers with young children. Targeting income level is important because this is a novelty item and is not a necessity in everyday life. Families with children tend to use their refrigerators as a way to display art and important school assignments and have more family related items on their refrigerators makes them an important segment to market to. Another demographic to target is younger families because children often have magnetic toys, such as ABC's and musical games, that are meant to be played with on a refrigerator type surface. When there is no magnetic space available for these toys, it renders them useless and often times these are educational toys such as the alphabet letters and numbers. I am also targeting working women because they are typically the ones that would make the purchase and would be more inclined to need a place to organize appointments, meals, and pictures.
5. How would they use the product? The Fridge Board is a very simple concept and very easy to use. Upon purchasing the product, all that would be needed is to put the putty on the back and stick it to your refrigerator. At that point, you can start your adding items such as pictures, school assignments, magnetic alphabet numbers and whatever else you may want to have quick access to, such as lunch menus, and reminders.
Children will love the ability to play with their magnets and to show off all their artwork. Showing off that special artwork that they worked so hard on or that perfect test score lets the child feel special when proudly displayed. Parents will love the ability to put up reminders, menus and fun family pictures. The Fridge Board is easily removed so that when you have company or adult time and want to put everything away, simply pull off, put away and bring it back out when you're ready.