The other day a PR rep contacted me about an upcoming contest geared towards moms (or any woman): the Whirlpool brand Mother of Invention Grant Program. She thought it might be of interest to Families.com readers, since they are primarily women.
Smart PR rep! After all, how many times have I (or perhaps even yourself) heard married women friends say things like, “I wish there was an X to help me deal with my husband (kids, job, life) better/faster/with less muss and fuss.”
Heck, even I’ve said something like that when I wished I could create a PMS pill for men. (Granted, that was mostly jokingly.)
But some women have some super clever ideas. Ones that are actually practical (and realistic) too. But you don’t have to invent some gadget to enter. Business or service ideas also qualify!
Invention Ideas
For Mother’s Day I gave my neighbor a funny card with a remote on the front of it. Instead of regular TV remote commands, the buttons were geared towards moms/wives. The volume buttons were down for noise and up for peace and quiet. There were buttons for “husband rubs feet” or “husband puts kids to bed.”
It may seem farfetched and silly, but…once upon a time some people thought the idea of lights coming on at the flick of a switch, or talking to someone across a wire was silly too.
On a serious note, look at all the food prep businesses and meal assembly stores. Most likely some busy wife had that idea.
And if you have any eco-friendly ideas, Whirlpool added a new category this year geared towards environmentally friendly products and services or those that use recycled or natural materials.
What’s at Stake?
A nice chunk of change to get you set up. Grand prize gets $20,000. Four runners-up split $24,000. There are also appliances prizes and an invitation to a business boot camp where winners get guidance from Whirlpool and industry experts.
General Info About the Contest
This is Whirlpool’s fourth annual Mother of Invention Grant Program.
It started on May 11, 2008 (the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day). Entries will be accepted until July 31, 2008.
For more info and to get an application form, click here to go to Whirlpool’s contest site.
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