THE PENDULUM | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,2010 I VOLUME 1, EDITION 2
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY WJU. ANDERSON
Silly Bandz craze reaches college campuses
kyra.gemberling
The popularity of Silly Bandz bracelets has defined it as the hottest new fad to don
the wrists of today's youth, but the underlying reasons fueling the fad may prove to be
even more intriguing.
The brightly colored rubber bracelets, a product of BCP Imports LLC, are seen
as being original to the toy market because of their unique assortment of shapes.
Children can collect everything from princesses to dinosaurs to amoebas. Silly Bandz
are so popular that it is common to see children, or even college-age students, walking
around with an arm covered in Silly Bandz and comparing wdth friends.
The more popularity an item receives, the more its perceived as valuable, said
Steven Bednar, economic instructor
"Fads serve to increase the demand for certain products, especially for children who
don’t want to be left out," Bednar said. "The amount they value the product increases
due to the popularity of the product among their friends."
This trend has been observed with the hit toys of previous decades, from Tickle Me
Elmo to Pokemon cards.
"Also, if it is known that a limited quantity of a good will be sold, individuals who
value the good at less than the price might still purchase it, knowing that they can
make a profit on the secondary market," Bednar said.
Toy company executives are taking notice including Gene Murtha, the former head
of Main Street Toy Co.
"A smart business plan is to take a product and develop it into a brand," he said in a
recent Wall Street Journal article.
Silly Bandz seems to be doing just that by constantly developing new ways to
promote its product, such as releasing "Save the Gulf Silly Bandz" in the shape of
popular sea creatures. The company's online blog credits the new bands as a way to
raise money for wildlife and communities affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BCP
Imports LLC will donate to both the National Wildlife Federation and the Greater New
continued on page 3
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Elon University
sophomore Kacey Stark
named Miss Tennessee
in National American
Miss Pageant
Do's ond Dont's
Local farm has
been in family for
over 200 years
... ’what is this anyway?
The Elon Edge Is a new, magazine-
style insert associated with The
Pendulum that will be printed twice
each semester in the fall of 2010.
Each insert will features writing and
photography to fit different themes
that apply to the Elon University
community. Look for future editions
coming later in the semester.