The Premise. A trip to the local superstore will confirm that we have too many options when it comes to selecting a toothbrush. While most of us prefer the traditional “manual” implement which also offers more superhero themed designs, some of us have gone electric (boogey woogey woogey) to satisfy our brushing needs.
The Product. Issa is a toothbrush created by the Foreo Institute in Sweden. Throwing traditional concepts out the window and focusing strictly on performance, it was designed to revolutionize the electric toothbrush with new material, function and form.
The Pitch. The campaign video explains that in 60 years electric toothbrushes have not drastically improved and have failed to convert most “manual” toothbrush users. Seeing an opportunity to create a better electric toothbrush, Foreo developed Issa and Issa Mini to overcome problems like abrasive bristles, non-ergonomic brush heads, short battery life, and more. The campaign page explains why its silicone material, unique design and new functionality make Issa superior to both manual toothbrushes and today’s electric brushes. We also learn that Issa Mini is intended for kids use or as a travel brush – it features parental controls which ensure kids brush every 12 hours and shows a happy face once its user has successfully brushed for two minutes. While we learn that Issa was unveiled at CES 2014 and has been featured in a number of publications, the campaign page lacks endorsements from dental authorities.
The Perks. Many levels of support for backers include both a beta tester and first edition level. For $199 you can become either a Beta tester or a first edition recipient with Beta testers receiving the product a month in advance of the others with a commitment to provide feedback to help refine the design in time for first edition users to benefit. For those with serious green to drop on their pearly whites, you can order a Gold or Platinum personalized edition Issa for $2,000 or $3,000 respectively.
The Potential. With the interest garnered so far by major publications, it’s no doubt that Issa has potential in the market and that the toothbrush paradigm could use a little shaking up. It would be ideal if Issa partnered with a known dental organization to bring a little more credibility from dental authorities vs. scientists who have determined reasons this brush is better. While Issa is no doubt unique, Kolibree also seeks to improve on today’s electric toothbrush by making it connected. Issa faces a looming battle of form versus feedback.