One person’s “bad idea” may be another’s new obsession #TEDTalks

My colleagues and I were sketching out My colleagues and I were sketching out the initial prototypes of the big red the initial prototypes of the big red the initial prototypes of the big red boot. I remember us being equal parts boot. I remember us being equal parts boot. I remember us being equal parts terrified because of course like who's terrified because of course like who's terrified because of course like who's going to wear these much less spend going to wear these much less spend going to wear these much less spend money on them, but at the same time the money on them, but at the same time the money on them, but at the same time the moment that we put on the initial moment that we put on the initial moment that we put on the initial prototypes ourselves prototypes ourselves prototypes ourselves we were filled with such a chaotic sense we were filled with such a chaotic sense we were filled with such a chaotic sense of glee that we were like you know what of glee that we were like you know what of glee that we were like you know what we just we just got to do it. So we we just we just got to do it. So we we just we just got to do it. So we committed to making a couple hundred committed to making a couple hundred committed to making a couple hundred pairs. A week before the drop we leaked pairs. A week before the drop we leaked pairs. A week before the drop we leaked this image through a friend's Instagram this image through a friend's Instagram this image through a friend's Instagram account. The algorithm smiled quite account. The algorithm smiled quite account. The algorithm smiled quite fondly upon the big red boot and all of fondly upon the big red boot and all of fondly upon the big red boot and all of a sudden this thing was everywhere. Like a sudden this thing was everywhere. Like a sudden this thing was everywhere. Like I I don't even I can't I can't even it's I I don't even I can't I can't even it's I I don't even I can't I can't even it's it's it's it's basically like a blur. it's it's it's basically like a blur. it's it's it's basically like a blur. Like I don't understand what happened. Like I don't understand what happened. Like I don't understand what happened. All of a sudden people are wearing them All of a sudden people are wearing them All of a sudden people are wearing them courtside at NBA games. courtside at NBA games. courtside at NBA games. I saw Lil Wayne wearing them in a music I saw Lil Wayne wearing them in a music I saw Lil Wayne wearing them in a music video. What started as a bad idea ended video. What started as a bad idea ended video. What started as a bad idea ended up becoming up becoming up becoming a very interesting idea. When you open a very interesting idea. When you open a very interesting idea. When you open Pandora's box of bad ideas clearly the Pandora's box of bad ideas clearly the Pandora's box of bad ideas clearly the sky's the limit. This is a big Fruit sky's the limit. This is a big Fruit sky's the limit. This is a big Fruit Loop. Um Loop. Um Loop. Um >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> there's not much else to say. >> there's not much else to say. >> there's not much else to say. It's real. It's about the size of a It's real. It's about the size of a It's real. It's about the size of a dinner plate. It takes a lot of milk to dinner plate. It takes a lot of milk to dinner plate. It takes a lot of milk to put down, but I assure you it's just as put down, but I assure you it's just as put down, but I assure you it's just as good as the original. This is what we good as the original. This is what we good as the original. This is what we call an Alexa gate. It's an electronics call an Alexa gate. It's an electronics call an Alexa gate. It's an electronics device armed with seven ultrasonic device armed with seven ultrasonic device armed with seven ultrasonic speakers at its base that blast white speakers at its base that blast white speakers at its base that blast white noise into the mic of any Alexa device noise into the mic of any Alexa device noise into the mic of any Alexa device to keep it from eavesdropping on you to keep it from eavesdropping on you to keep it from eavesdropping on you when you're not using it. And then this when you're not using it. And then this when you're not using it. And then this one is a life-size sculpture that keeps one is a life-size sculpture that keeps one is a life-size sculpture that keeps track of and counts the number of times track of and counts the number of times track of and counts the number of times anyone has touched it because if you anyone has touched it because if you anyone has touched it because if you ever go to a gallery museum you know ever go to a gallery museum you know ever go to a gallery museum you know you're not supposed to touch the art. So you're not supposed to touch the art. So you're not supposed to touch the art. So this is supposed to discourage people this is supposed to discourage people this is supposed to discourage people touching the art. I'm not necessarily

touching the art. I'm not necessarily touching the art. I'm not necessarily saying that bad ideas are good ideas. saying that bad ideas are good ideas. saying that bad ideas are good ideas. All I'm saying is give yourself a chance All I'm saying is give yourself a chance All I'm saying is give yourself a chance to explore the thing that makes you to explore the thing that makes you to explore the thing that makes you uncomfortable because you just never uncomfortable because you just never uncomfortable because you just never know what might happen.