You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf…you may have one or more of these small, smiling creatures stored away at home, awaiting Christmas season to come out and start spying on your children. You may even have had the pleasure of meeting the creators of this holiday toy sensation (as I did last year) and hearing their inspiring entrepreneurial story. But this season, Santa’s red-clad little helper has a counterpart for those who celebrate Hanukkah: The Mensch on the Bench has arrived!
Neal Hoffman, a former toy company employee, came up with the idea. Clearly inspired by the Elf – and perhaps by Adam Sandler’s song tribute to eight crazy day and nights, as the marketing suggests you “Add some funukkah to Hanukkah” with the Mensch, Moshe. Like the Elf, the Mensch comes with a storybook and promises to keep watch over your little ones at holiday time.
It seems like such an obvious idea: there was a need, created by the Elf itself. Hoffman took on that challenge – and took to Kickstarter earlier this year to raise the $22,000 he needed. Reaching his funding goal by just the end of May 2013, he moved into motion and got Moshe the Mensch created in time for this season.
Hoffman appears to have stumbled upon something big: Mensch on the Bench is already sold out, and he’s taking pre-orders at the website for next year. You can also keep up with Moshe at Facebook.
~ @AdvertGirl (aka Denise Blasevick, CEO, The S3 Agency)
