Clique

Insight: “you don’t push a stroller, you drive it…”

Routinely moms compare their stroller to a car, telling us they are looking for durable, sturdy strollers that are easy to maneuver and comfortable for their child as well as stylish and having all the latest innovations. Starting with this foundation, we pursued mom to express deeper desires and frustrations when using these products. A critical aspect of performance is evaluated in the folding and unfolding procedure which must be easy, fast and result in a compact size.

In addition to great performance, a stroller is clearly an extension of our personality and needs to look good. Strollers are seen as the sport-luxury-utility vehicle for the parent and for their child. We also learned that strollers are typically marketed towards moms, but dads too are playing a more active role and also want a stroller that they can relate to.

The Innovation: looking outside to bring innovation in-house

Starting with the overall technical layout, our team was inspired by the motion and efficiency of a telescopic overhead gantry crane used to lift and move heavy objects. Our team engineered a new compact fold system never before seen in the stroller market. Our design incorporates a structural extruded "back-bone" that houses a rack and pinion gear system connected to the handle, seat frame and wheels. This design enables an extremely compact stroller when, without compromising on full size comfort for the child when open. To fold the stroller, simply push the handle down into the frame which in turn drives the internal gear system. The internal gear drive system is connected to the seat and wheels which automatically fold to an extremely compact size with one easy motion.

The Payoff: Breakthrough styling and 13 Utility Patents in the back pocket

Conceived and executed in under 4 months, we developed several new-to-market improvements resulting in 13 Utility Patents packaged in a great looking design that resonated with both mom and dad!

The stroller was a huge hit when tested in consumer research against known top-performing competitive strollers. Consumers love the simple, yet expressive look and appreciate the ease of use improvements made to the functions they rely on daily.

The product delivered multiple innovations in a very crowded market to help grow Graco's patent war chest in this category.