Rabbit Wine Opener

If you are a wine drinker and gadget head, then it is likely you are one of almost three million people who have purchased the "Rabbit" to uncork your favorite bottle of wine.

The Rabbit was designed by Pollen Design for Metrokane, and was a smash hit the instant it landed in stores. The design launched Pollen into the spotlight and spawned so many copy-cats that it makes your head spin.

Analyst have credited this phenominal hit as part design and part first to market. The truth is, it was not first to market, Le Creuset produced a screwpull that was very expensive but nonetheless popular. It owned a patent that expired in 1999, allowing Metrokane to pounce. Fast forward to the launch of the Rabbit and it is easy to see that design was crucial to crushing the market and getting there "first" with good design even more important.

See the opening (vision) - inspire the market (design and value) - Win (follow through on the right business plan). It's that simple.

Sources: www.metrokane.com, www.pollendesign.com, Business Week "Scoops of Information" April 4, 2005