David Hibler and Tyler Galganski, from Brookfield, Wis., have been friends since childhood. They wanted to start a small business together and took the leap in 2009. Hibler ordered an adult onesie. He found it lacking and not comfortable for an adult onesie. Both gave up their jobs and launched their online business called Forever Lazy — a line of fleece one-piece footless adult pajamas.

“We saw how well Snuggie did. So we had a shot,” said Galganski. The buzz was starting to build slowly. And then Fergie, of The Black Eyed Peas, ordered one. The press picked up on it, and sales started to climb.

It’s a time of “Open Innovation” in the invention industry. A time when large companies will look at new product developers ideas. Here is why:

“Two things are happening,” said Scott Boilen, Ceo of Allstar Products group in Hawthorne, N.Y. “Innovation from large companies has dampened. And history has shown that the natural response among Americans to a struggling job market is entrepreneurship.” Boilen ought to know. Allstar turned the Snuggie into a cultural phenomenon with its memorable ads. His team gets pitched 5,000 to 7,000 ideas a year which is a level he calls, “all-time high. Maybe 1,000 to 2,000 of those are serious pitches.”

AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of Fairfield, N.J., TeleBrands, invented Doggy Steps, an affordable staircase for dogs. Although there are similar products around, Doggy Steps has sold over five million. “Part of the success formula behind “As Seen On TV” items is, creating a product that is affordable, functional, and fills a common need”, said Khubani. “It also helps to get some marketing firepower behind it, too.”

If you have an “As Seen On TV” idea and would like to submit to All Star and Telebrand please contact us at New Product Consulting.