Flares: Claw Clips, Sensory Art, and Clowns

Claw Clips Spring Back to Popularity

If you were around for the '90s you may remember the claw clip --- a popular accessory that made it easy to manage long hair without the hassle (or tension headaches) often caused by barrettes or ponytails.

Search interest on both Google and Pinterest shows that claw clips are back, and they may follow the lead of other resurrected hair accessories (like spiral hair ties and scrunchies) that now mint millions.

The simplest way to capitalize is to sell claw clips.

Amazon searches are up 368% over the last 90 days, according to Jungle Scout, and this 4-pack generates $446k/mo.

Three-star reviews reveal that people love the colors, but wish:

The paint didn't peel so easily
The teeth and spring were more durable
The clip was wider to handle truly luscious locks

*A general Amazon search for "claw clip" returns results for women only. Source: *Amazon

Most products currently target women, but there are active communities of long-haired men who might respond to something designed just for them.

For example, the r/FierceFlow subreddit for men with long hair has ~99k subscribers and has more than doubled in size since COVID lockdowns (hint).

Search interest is also up for claw clip-related style advice.

You could capitalize by creating content (e.g., downloadable style guides, TikTok and YouTube videos, etc.) to draw leads for other hair-related products.

Sensory Art Has the Magic Touch

Parents on Pinterest are searching for sensory art projects they can do with their kids.

Source: Pinterest Trends

Sensory art is a fancy name for a slew of crafts (like finger painting) designed to engage multiple senses at the same time.

It has its roots in sensory integration theory and is believed to help children --- including those with autism --- develop keener emotional regulation, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Capitalize on this trend by offering subscription boxes with everything parents need for new art projects delivered to their door each month. You can draw project inspiration from curated Pinterest boards, and niche down to cater to parents of autism, or other special needs groups.

Or start a free email drip campaign of curated sensory art activities, and use it to build an audience for other parenting-related products.

You could also target occupational therapists (OTs) who work with children to overcome both injuries and preexisting disabilities.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are ~127k OTs in the US alone, with 15.5k+ specializing in pediatrics. They may benefit from online communities, newsletters, courses, or subscription boxes that help them bring this concept into their practice.

Finally, there's a whole range of sensory play toys that generate hundreds of thousands of dollars each month on Amazon, according to Jungle Scout. For example:

Sand and Water Table --- ~$329k/mo.
Fidget Poppers --- ~$479k/mo.
Bulk Rubber Ducks --- ~$951k/mo.

The Latest COVID Shortage --- Clowns?

A circus in Northern Ireland made headlines recently when it claimed that COVID-related visa issues have led to a critical clown shortage.

If you're surprised to hear clowns are still in demand at all, you're not alone. Movies like It and The Joker (and let's not forget the global clown scare of 2016) certainly hurt public perception.

But searches for local party clowns are on the rise again, and in places like Hong Kong and India, clowns have become increasingly popular.

Source: Google Trends

There's also a global community of people who are still deeply passionate about the art of physical comedy ("clowning"), and it could be the perfect niche because:

It's surprisingly large: There are at least 4 professional clown associations (Clowns International, the WCA, CAI, and Shriners), each with thousands of members. Clown Antics also gets ~50k+ visits/mo., per SimilarWeb.
Practitioners are purpose-driven, working as either professional entertainers or volunteers in hospitals, schools, and conflict zones. They'll pay for training and connections that further their mission.
Clowns have a high CLTV, developing their alter ego and participating in the clown community over decades (e.g., one Texas clown association keeps a long list of 25-year members).

But the industry is WAY behind on technology, pointing to a different kind of opportunity from the ones we normally highlight: Rather than exploding interest, what we have is a passionate community that's being underserved and kept artificially small by outdated technology.

*Clown industry websites are almost universally clunky and outdated. Source: *ShrineClowns

There could be room for someone with technical expertise to swoop in and build a 7-figure business via 1 or more of the following:

Paid online communities: Clowning is inherently community-oriented. Clowns join local groups (known as "alleys") and pay $40+/yr. to belong to clubs like the World Clown Association or Clowns of America International.

Use modern tools like Slack, Facebook, or Circle to connect practitioners on a broader scale, and offer an experience outdated groups can't match.

Growth of the r/clown subreddit shows what happens when clowns get modern community tools. Source: Subreddit stats.

Digital media: Data from Clowning Around magazine's advertising rate card reveals very high $50-$200 CPMs. It may be possible to succeed with a niche newsletter for clowns, monetizing via ads, paid subscriptions, or affiliate deals (e.g., Clown Antics offers 10% to affiliates).

*Source: *Clowning AroundSeptember 2021 Edition

Education and Training: The Clown School charges $300-$900 for online clown classes, and The Idiot Workshop charges $125-$250 for different character development sessions.