Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty
Spotlight
Crazy right now Toy World spoke to Aaron Muderick – AKA Crazy Aaron – to find out more about the history behind best-selling brand Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, the company’s approach to manufacturing and employment, and why he thinks nothing compares to the real thing. who’ve met because of their shared love of Thinking Putty to kids coping with serious illness and trauma who use it as a therapeutic tool, we are always amazed at the deep impact Thinking Putty can have on people’s lives. To me, that impact is just as much a measure of success as our business achievements—perhaps even more so.
How did you first come up with the idea of Thinking Putty? The year was 1998. I had just graduated with a degree in computer science and was spending long hours at my desk writing code. I found myself fidgeting with little toys like the drinking bird, the Slinky, and the original kind of putty that comes in a plastic egg. I liked that putty but it left a lot to be desired and I got to thinking… what if it was bigger? Better? More colourful and exciting? That thought turned into a passion. I started buying putty in bulk and colouring it myself. At first, it was just red or blue, but as I experimented with different pigments, I realised that this was something I was really good at; something I wanted to do all the time. I also saw how happy it made my coworkers, who were my only customers at the time. They would come to my desk in search of my latest creation, and I watched with joy as my little endeavor began to change the culture of the office. Not long after that, my wife and I decided to start a web shop. We began mixing raw materials at home and set up an online store where customers could purchase directly. Within a few months, that store grew beyond our expectations. In another few years I got to leave my coding days behind me, we entered the toy marketplace, and I got to become Crazy Aaron full time.
How challenging was it to turn your idea into reality? As with anything worth doing, those early days were challenging. I had two little girls and a wife at home, and was spending literally days and nights in the factory trying to perfect my formulations and scale up production. There were many hits and misses, upswings and downturns during those first few years. I had to learn a lot about chemistry, physics, manufacturing and production, not to mention running a business. Let’s just say I definitely earned the name Crazy Aaron.
What are the benefits of manufacturing in the USA? I’m a big advocate of the think global, act local movement. Safety, compliance to international standards, and producing a high-quality product are of the utmost importance to me and I never even considered moving our manufacturing
How has the brand performed in the UK market in 2017? We have done very well in the UK market. We have a wonderful partner, Green Elephant Trading, who understands our product and our mission on the deepest levels. We’re Green Elephant’s No. 1 selling line.
What plans do you have for 2018? You’ll just have to wait and see! I will say that we have an awesome collection of holiday colours coming out with new things we’ve never tried before. We’ve also got some other big stuff we’re planning on adding to our core collection.
How do you come up with ideas for new products? elsewhere. What makes Thinking Putty unique is the “secret sauce” we put into every formula, and outsourcing production halfway across the world can really compromise your trade secrets. I’m still the one in the lab creating new products, and I personally oversee many steps of our process. I like knowing that I’m putting my stamp of approval on every tin of Thinking Putty we sell. Local manufacturing has also enabled me to give back to the community in a real and tangible way. When our business started to outgrow our living room, I teamed up with area vocational centers that help individuals with physical and mental disabilities find meaningful work. Today, we employ over 800 people with special needs and they are such a big part of our success. They love working with our putty and put a lot of care and attention into their work. I believe it shows— our product has a lot of soul.
Have you been surprised at the fantastic success you’ve achieved? In a word, yes. We get so many stories from people all over the world letting us know how they’ve used Thinking Putty to relieve stress, have fun, and be more creative. From couples
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Our whole brand is inspired by nature, and that serves as my inspiration as well. I’m an avid outdoorsman and I get lots of ideas from my many adventures. For example, I got the inspiration for our Phantoms line from a UV-reactive rock called tugtupite. I’m fascinated by the amazing natural phenomena of the world around us, whether it’s thermodynamics, magnetism, or luminescence, and base many of my creations around them.
A lot of companies have attempted to jump on the putty bandwagon – what would you say to retailers about these ‘me-too’ ranges? Thinking Putty is the only product we make and every tin we create is a work of art. From the way it’s produced to the feel of it in your hands, there’s just no comparison. We’ve seen some fierce competition this year, even almost direct replication, but trust me, these products are beyond inferior. There are a lot of companies vying for a race to the bottom because there’s nothing like the real thing. We’ve been making the best putty in the world for almost 20 years, and I plan to be in business 20 years from now. Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is a passion, not a trend, and that makes all the difference.