American Inventor - Picking The Top Three Of Six
Episode 7 Recap by Gayl Killough
July 26, 2007
In some ways, I really want her bra to work for me, but I can't help but have strong reservations about this bra. Maybe this is due to unfair editing, but I get the impression that Cato built the bra based on her personal needs and she is somewhat lucky that it is adaptable to some varieties of women's shapes.
I have debated whether or not to risk boring people by talking even more about myself, but I have to talk about myself in order to really explain why I have issues with this bra and the editing. I admit I have a larger chest myself, but just because Cato is larger in the chest than average, does not mean that she can represent me. Women's shapes differ immensely beyond a simple measurement below the bra and a cup size; I hate to be crude, but women hang differently, are weighted differently in the bra area, and also have shoulders and arms that affect how a bra fits too. I realize that the Cato's bra has adjustable straps, but her bra is simply not wide enough on the sides for someone with my build. I need more support on the sides and less in the front area. A bigger cup size does not solve the problem either and I wish that bra makers realized that. As I got older, I have gotten fatter, which really translates into being wider on the sides. I have to adapt every bra I own. I buy a larger size than in theory I need according to bra makers and then I adapt it down to fit me. Bras are stuck in the rut of being perfect cones with straps attached to them and her bra still looks like it has that problem. I was thinking that maybe an adapter for the outer body side of the bra cup similar to what she is using for the shoulders could be added as an cup adapter for wider ladies, but did she even consider that her bra may not be for everyone in it's current form? I apologize if the editing is glossing over the finer details of her product.
However, the real reason that I don't think her bra would work for me beyond the width is that I was trying to thinking through how the straps and the bra contacted the body and supported the area, and I believe it would pull in all the wrong directions for me personally. However, lucky for her, I think many other women will try her bra out in the form that it is in, and she will make some women very happy. I just wish that I did not feel left out, once again.
Back to the Tuckers. They solve the temperature problem, but have complicated the product and undermined the ease of their original product. I personally think they made the product better and I would feel comfortable with buying it with an actual working prototype. The Tuckers love their packaging for their product that is now called "Tea Brain".
The next pairing starts with the schoolteacher. He is worried about how his focus group reacted to his invention, but a toy expert from JMP (whom I would love to meet) consoles him that a younger demographic is needed as a target and that he knows the toy is on target for the toy market. Ages 8 to 12 years old are considered the sweet spot. I agree. Most of my invention ideas fit in the toy/craft/hobby area and I have been analyzing the market for years. If the HT Racer is not well received in the toy market, then it would make me doubt some of my own conclusions that I have made. As much as I said I want to purchase the Claw, this is my favorite invention on the show. He has adapted it to boats and planes that fly. I want to play with inventions right now. I also personally think his idea is adaptable to doll house furniture, but that is not mentioned. Feel free to take the dollhouse furniture offshoot idea if it would work and put it on the market so I can buy it.
Also in the pairing with the schoolteacher, are the grad students. A guy from JMP tells them that their invention needs to be more attractive and needs 30% less girth. The grad students decide to take on the challenge of re-engineering their products. They say they use every spare hour to work on the idea and are successful. They also showcase a wall adapter that can hold a kid's bike. They have a kid demonstrating how easy it is to use and are worried that if the kid has trouble, it could kill their presentation for them.
Sadly, people buy based on the perception of need instead of actual and practical needs. Despite the fact, that most women already have a drawer full of bras, many of which don't fit well, many women always think they need more bras. I hate to stereotype and I hate to admit that I also fit in that group. Also, so many women are frustrated with their bras, that if a bra does anything that it claims to do, they will be content with the bra, at least until the next great bra comes along that they hope will solve all their problems. With The Claw, even if the product would make life a lot easier for someone, there is not the perception of need for the product. I would buy the Claw personally and I would not buy the bra, but I realize I am not the norm.
The last pairing is The Miller Brothers and the firefighter. The Miller brothers have been very cocky or are at least presented that way through editing. They had made their insert out of wood because that is what they had access to, but decide to upgrade to stainless steel. Personally, I liked the wood better. They hire a pitch coach that they describe as someone who could implement world peace if she could train everyone. The editing has disaster written all over it.
The firefighter was not able to afford a prototype, so he is shown testing the product on the trees in a demonstration room with a Christmas tree and chair. At first it does not work, but it eventually it does work, after tweaking of the product each time. Also, I finally understand why he chose to use water. He explains that the steam helps to keep the fire from reaching the roof. The Guardian Angel looks very pretty and the fake present fits nicely over the water pump. A hose is attached from the fake present to the Angel at the top. The plug can be removed to fit more traditional Christmas toppers too. It also has an alarm that goes off too. Very nicely done. I really had doubts that he could get it to work in such a short time frame.
Now, it is time for the semi-finalists to pitch their products to the judges. Cato presents what she is now calling the "Annette Convertible" bra. She seems to be doing great at first, until they ask her what research she has done. She really has not done any and she thinks that any woman can wear her bra. Just when I was starting to feel bad for picking on her earlier in the show, she confirms what I was thinking about her product. Also, it is not enough to test it on a few woman, her models don't showcase many body types that exist in the market. I want her to test this on a thousand women. She explains that her competition relies on uncomfortable adhesives or straps that go around the stomach. There are other products not mentioned on the show that also compete with her product. I own a control girdle type leotard that is completely backless. It is not a bra, and wearing it may not be as convenient or versatile as a bra, but I could wear completely backless fashions without owning her bra and the leotard offers the support I need on the sides too, so why should I bother with her bra product? I do think her product will sell really well, but I feel like there is more competition for her product than has been shown on the show.
The Millers brothers are next and their presentation looked really forced and boring. It may be editing, but it did not look like they presented their insert with dispensers. I wanted to see the finished product worked. The judges think the Millers blew their presentation. Pat does mention that the focus group gave 100% support for buying the product. The editing of the show was leading up to this result. I feel bad for them.
The schoolteacher presents a very colorful display. He had cutouts of the judges in the racers. This looks like what a schoolteacher would put together and I think his experience of teaching and pitching to students helps him. He is aiming his racers at kids as young as 9, while older kids and hobbyists can go onto the more advanced products. He files an airplane toward the judges. Judge Peter asks about the emotional consideration that kids would spent a lot of time building the product to only have paper machete in a matter of a few seconds. Derennaux explains the plane had been built three weeks ago and had been flown over 30 times. That shuts Peter up. I also think that Derennaux has made a great choice by aiming his product at both the younger kids and kids at hearts that are older.
The loving couple with the tea adapter presents their new product, but the judges seem less thrilled because it had to become more complicated to adjust to different temperature for making tea.
The Claw is presented to the judges and the judges are worried about the low demand for the product. Only 1 in 5 bicyclists who hang their bikes say they would buy the Claw. Judge Pat says that he would buy the product for himself; George says he would buy 3, but still the judges are worried that it is too small of a marketplace.
The firefighter made Judge Pat eat his words by presenting video showing that his product can work. However it took four times before it worked. However, the judges, especially Judge Peter wants to make sure that it can works thousands of times and that it would work every time before putting it on the market.
The judges pick three out of the six to move on to the next round. The Tea Adapter is a no, the bra is a yes, the Claw is a no, the Guardian Angel is a yes, the Wrap Away is a no, and the Racer is a yes. There was an obvious pattern in how the contestants were selected at the end.
To my surprise, the audience can vote for the Top Three contestants at the end of the show. Wow, that was fast. After dragging out the wacky auditions, the good inventions were over way too quick. This must mean that there will not be a commercials episode like last year. Cato was the first number to vote, Chavez was the second number, and Derannaux was the third number. There was a limit of 5 votes and two hours to vote. One could also vote an additional 5 times by text message, but the user will be charged fifty cents each time.
I am personally rooting for the racer, but I expect the Guardian Angel to win, although it would not surprise me if the bra wins. In other words, I have no idea what to expect for the finale. I was not even expecting a finale to happen so soon.
Gayl writes government documents for a living and hopes that people will actually read her blogs. Her hobbies include inventions, music, and toys. Her true American Idol will always be B.B. King. Grand Master Flash is her favorite inventor. She can be reached at Gayl@RealityTVCalendar.com
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