One of my favorite things to learn about when researching episodes is how people marketed inventions that had never been on the market before. In The Story Behind Post-its, we talked about how 3M’s style of marketing was to show what the product could do, rather than just showing the product. In The Story Behind Dr Pepper, John W. Davis made it a point to tell six people every day his version of the beverage’s origin story.

And, probably in the running for most audacious marketing of an invention covered by The Story Behind is today’s topic, when its inventors rented a kangaroo to help demonstrate the fun jumping capabilities of the product.

You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind the Trampoline.

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Media:

• Music for Makers

Sources:

• Who Made That Trampoline? - The New York Times
• George Nissen: Inventor of the trampoline - The Independent
• The up-and-down history of the trampoline - ABC News
• 21 Fascinating Facts About Trampolines – Exercise, Education, and More! - Trampoline Review Guide
• The History of Trampolines - Trampoline Gurus
• Trampoline Equipment and History - Olympic.org
• The Difference Between a Rebounder & Trampoline - Livestrong.com
• Trampolines: A History - Rebounderz.com
• The History of Trampolines: All You Need to Know - TrampolineJudge.com
• AAP Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use - American Academy of Pediatrics
• As Trampoline Parks Jump In Popularity, So Do Injuries - NPR
• Trampoline Parks Tied to Jump in Emergency Room Visits - Scientific American

Referenced:

• The Story Behind Post-its
• The Story Behind Dr Pepper
• The Story Behind Pantyhose