Fidget Cube: Solving an Overlooked Problem With a Simple Solution

On August 30, 2016, Fidget Cube launched one of the most talked about crowdfunding campaigns of the year. Fidget Cube is a very simple desktop solution for those who can’t focus and sit still at their desk. It has six sides all with different a different fidget feature including: rolling tactile gears, rotating dials, a stone to rub for increased relaxation, a joystick that glides, clickable buttons (some with sound and some silent) and a pivoting switch.

This concept brought a fidgeter’s dream to reality after raising $6,465,690 from 154,926 backers. This campaign showed a real hole in the marketplace and will go down as one of the most unexpectedly successful Kickstarter campaigns to ever exist.

Below we dissect what made this campaign so successful.

Simple Idea

Many doubted that Fidget Cube would go on to create the buzz that it did and become the overwhelming success it was because of how basic of an idea it is. However, what the creators behind Fidget Cube did that most crowdfunding creators don’t, was find a huge hole in the marketplace for a very common problem that many people face on a daily basis.

While a high-tech product has a bigger “wow” factor and can easily generate buzz, they are often a dime-a-dozen on Kickstarter and Indiegogo and often times come with a huge sticker shock. Some of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns have been simple products that solve an ordinary daily irritation that often goes overlooked.

Campaign Page

Fidget Cube excelled at creating their campaign page- they have the perfect ratio of text, images and demonstrative GIFs. The very first thing someone sees after scrolling past the video is “What is Fidget Cube?” with a close up GIF of someone playing with the toy so that the viewer can see exactly what it looks like and its basic aesthetic. It then goes into more details, starting with all the press coverage and then a more detailed description of each side of the cube and how it can satisfy every type of fidgeter, and the different design options available.

The one thing Fidget Cube does that most campaigns don’t is silence the skeptics by including an entire section about how even people who don’t excessively fidget can benefit from buying a Fidget Cube.

Video

The video on Fidget Cube’s campaign page is very unique in many ways, starting with its long duration. At just over five minutes, this video is much longer than we typically recommend. But Fidget Cube made their video into an entertaining parody of the dramatic prescription medication commercials that we see constantly on TV. It then goes into the benefits of fidgeting and how someone can really use a Fidget Cube to their advantage.

This video goes above and beyond to capture the attention of its viewers by being funny while still delivering all the information a potential buyer needs to make the decision to buy.

Rewards

One of the benefits of having a simple product is how easy it is to keep your rewards section simple.

• $1- Show Some Love
• $14- Early Bird
• $19- Fidget Cube
• $35- Fidget Cube x2
• $79- Fidget Cube x5
• $129- Fidget Cube x10
• $849 Fidget Cube x80

Because the campaign was so successful, three different stretch goals were unlocked- a backer designed color scheme, free stickers and a carrying pouch.

Press

In our experience, it’s always easier to get press coverage once you fund. Because Fidget Cube funded in less than a day, it garnered a substantial amount of media coverage, which they organized conveniently in a graphic on their campaign page.

Key Takeaways

• When coming up with an idea to crowdfund, remember it doesn’t have to be a complex gadget in order to be successful.
• When designing your campaign page, use images and graphics to depict how your product works because visuals are easier to understand.
• Have fun with your campaign video- it doesn’t have to be stuffy.
• Lay out your rewards in a way that potential backers don’t get confused.
• Once you fund, press hits will be much easier to obtain.

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