Ebola Plush Toys For Kids "Selling Like Hot Cakes"

By JOSHUA NORMAN

gmus pd 0240 ebola cluster resized 600

With the Ebola outbreak dominating the national discourse, parents and caregivers are inevitably going to be confronted with the necessity of explaining the deadly and exotic disease to children.

One Connecticut company was already poised to help in that process, and it has seen a dramatic spike in sales as a result.

Giantmicrobes Inc. was founded about a decade ago with the intention of creating stuffed toys based on the actual microscopic images of various microbes as an educational tool for caregivers and young children, said Laura Sullivan, vice president of operations, in an interview with CBS News.

"It started with the common cold and similar things," Sullivan said. "It was marketed to pediatricians and parents initially. The idea is that kids respond favorably to stuffed animals."

The thinking is that children would be better able to understand what is happening in their body if they could see a softer, cuddlier version of it, Sullivan said.

Before long, the company's offerings expanded to a number of different of viruses and diseases, and the audience expanded with it.

About five years ago, the company began offering plush toys whose design was based on the microscopic image of the Ebola virus. Now, they are struggling to keep up with demand, Sullivan said.

While she declined to give specific sales figures for the Ebola plush toys, Sullivan said: "They're selling like hot cakes. We're out of stock again."

They have ramped up production with their Chinese manufacturers and are rushing to feed the demand, Sullivan said.

Their Ebola products - which include regular- and giant-sized plush recreations of the virus, as well a petri dish and something called "Primordial Putty" - are currently only available through the company's website, but much of the rest of their line can be found in everything from hospital gift shops to college bookstores to medical supply stores.

Sullivan said this isn't the first case of a headline-making disease affecting their sales. The swine flu outbreak a few years ago caused a similar spike in sales, but Sullivan added it was not quite at the level of Ebola.

"It's a neat little product," Sullivan said. "In the case of Ebola, it's been a helpful way for families talk about it and take some of the scariness away."

Source: www.cbsnews.com

Recent Posts

The Ultimate Spring Bucket List To Help Nurses Recharge
Whether you're a Nurse dealing with the daily stresses of the healthcare profession or simply looking for ways to unwind and recharge, this list of activities is designed to help you make the most of...
Read More
Hospital Designs With Staff Well Being In Mind
Working in the healthcare field is both demanding and stressful. Nurses often face challenges like adjusting to irregular hours, taking on extra shifts, and coping with the emotional toll of losing...
Read More
DEI Efforts: A Positive Force in the Workplace
Rather than dismissing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a passing trend, we should recognize it as a natural progression. In moving forward, we need to elevate our strategies to a more...
Read More

Subscribe to Email Our Newsletter

Education_Award_Square