Author: Alexandra Alexa
Date: October 30, 2015
Link: https://www.core77.com/posts/42083/ERNIT-A-Piggy-Bank-for-the-21st-Century
Although the practice of saving money in a collective space started in the 1st century BC in greek temples, the specific pig form originated in the middle ages from an inexpensive, orange-colored clay called pygg (pronounced “pug”) which then transformed into “pig”.
ERNIT is a modern piggy bank to aid in the complexity of financial literacy stemming from the increased mobile transactions ($52.9 billion to $431.1). It comes with a physical piggy-shaped component with an aided app that can help kids and their family to set large and small purchase goals. The CEO emphasizes that the app itself doesn’t hold the money, it is just a tool to help set these goals and set a bridge between the generational gap between kids and older family members with a physical and digital component. The exaggerated yet soft visual and interactive features of the product not only help create a learning experience that is tangible but also “aural”.
Analysis
Using a familiar form and instrument to create a modern style to it is an entirely viable solution that opens up many opportunities. The new generation may see it as a cute pig toy that has little to no connection to money, nostalgia will immediately draw the parents with the understanding that it has a connection with financial habits without having to look at labels. Additionally, with the polished interface of the product, the children will be encouraged to carry it around even without the knowledge of what the product is for and the parents will notice the modernized look to be encouraged to learn more about the product without turning away for its outdated design.
