In a dive bar…
A few weeks ago…
Two dads eating burgers, talking Nouns…
DAD 1: “What do you think proliferates the most in the world?”
DAD 2: “In the world? Not what, who.”
DAD 1: (Confused look)
DAD 2: Humans are the most successful at proliferation.
—
After that conversation, those thoughts (that humans proliferate the most) sat with me. Then slowly an idea began to form and I’ve started doing research, networking, and gathering the appropriate information. I’m not looking to rush on-chain rather I want to figure out the best direction first. Think of this as a temperature check before I spend more time.
What I’m looking for today is:
- thoughts and critiques
- thoughts on if this vibes with the community
- thoughts on which route most nounish.
NOUNIFY THE DELIVERY ROOM:
If you’re in America and a family member has given birth than more likely or not— your little one was wrapped immediately in a swaddle (with either a basic pink and blue line design or a ducky pattern.) My kids were, my friends kids from across America were too.
I guess, there’s a monopoly on baby swaddles. NPR did an article, check it - BORN IN THE USA? THIS BLANKET MIGHT LOOK FAMILIAR? These Hospital Blankets Touch Millions Of American Babies : NPR
When we asked you for photos of your newborns swaddled in a familiar pink-and-blue-striped receiving blanket, we never imagined such an amazing response. We received nearly 2,000 photos featuring your precious little ones, most of them with that same iconic blanket. We had submissions from 45 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, plus D.C.
What if-- there was a way, to nounify every birth in America (lol, not that large yet, but one day) and proliferate the meme by new parents sharing photos of their newborns wrapped in nounish swaddles or onesies?
It’s all about curiosity.
I’ve met with numerous medial cloth and manufacturing companies and there’s two possible pathways forward:
- Start with a head start - by partnering with a manufacturer who has footholds in hospitals whose products have gone through proper testing and approval. The problem Medline has an iron grip with swaddles (particularly) in hospitals because their CoGs are so low and these products get taken home every day by new parents.
Cons - So you’d probably have to pivot and do a program like some west coast (ucla) hospitals have started to do — give out free neonatal onesies to all newborns. I have contacts in the company that does UCLA’s and many others but there are cons like high CoGs and we’d really just be focusing on the graphic designer.
Pros - is this approach can be executed asap and a lower MOQs but not as great proliferation opportunity. (Get started anywhere from 10 ETH and more. Fyi I’d get full transparent budgets first this is just back of napkin math for context)
- Start from scratch - I’ve found one or two manufactures who suffer under Medlines swaddle grip and would be willing to work through a full design and approval process to make sure we create amazingly designed and comfortable swaddles that we can be proud of.
Cons - probably larger in cost and longer timeline. (Cost would probably start at 99 ETH to deliver because of all the testing and RD. Fyi I’d get full transparent budgets first this is just back of napkin math.)
Pros - complete control and once a swaddle is developed and approved we could really amplify the nounish charitable giving because a swaddle is much much much cheaper than a onesies to make. So much larger upside.
Why I think this is nounish?
- it proliferates through art.
- it proliferates through good works.
- it proliferates through real press opportunities.
- it proliferates by sparking curiosity because every new parent shares photos with family and friends of their newborns wrapped in the hospital swaddle. Then uncles and cousins and friends will see what is this kid wrapped in. Thus sparking curiosity.
What I hope the community can provide:
- is this something people like?
- is there a particular direction that anyone feels is better? My two sense is #2 but under a controlled and tight budget.
- any other thoughts.
To be clear this is only an idea and not something that I’m fighting tooth and nail for. But if the community likes it would love to continue exploring.
Thoughts?