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Library/Campaign/Fidget Cube Kickstarter
Grade B20 sourcesHIS-01667

Fidget Cube Kickstarter

Campaign · 2016 · Viral

67Editable slideCertificate

Antsy Labs raised $6.5 million for a desk toy before shipping delays let copycats in.

Clip · SundayStringShow on YouTube
A black fidget cube photographed in 2021; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0. Brand authenticity is not established.
Aaron Headly / CC BY 2.0
Original press photograph showing all six Fidget Cube faces; Commons records unrestricted reuse.
Mark McLachlan
Official photographs of the original Kickstarter-run Fidget Cube colorways.
Antsy Labs
Introducing Fidget Cube
Antsy Labs

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagionNo data yetBreadth70Velocity65Longevity6567

Numbers

Seed to milestone
7 weeks
Aug 30 ’16 to Oct 19 ’16
Platforms
5
Started on Open web
Origin
Seeded
Toys & collectibles

Mechanics

  • Underdog
  • Platform jumpPrimary
  • Press loop
  • Dupe economy
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Antsy Labs launched on Kickstarter, then NowThis and other Facebook publishers relayed its video. Pledges reached $6.5 million. Shipping delays let copycats reach buyers first; Antsy Labs later licensed manufacturing and distribution to Zuru.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Google searchesJul ’16SepOctDecFeb ’17AprJunApr ’18NovSep ’19Feb ’20MilestoneOpen webFacebookPressYouTubeRetail
Open webFacebookPressYouTubeRetail

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (16)

  1. August 2016

    Matthew and Mark McLachlan / Antsy Labs seed · Aug 30 ’16

    Antsy Labs launched the Fidget Cube Kickstarter campaign with a $15,000 goal.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. September 2016

    NowThis platform jump · Sep 6 ’16

    NowThis posted a Fidget Cube video, beginning the Facebook relay identified by the founders.[2]

  3. TechCrunch press · Sep 8 ’16

    TechCrunch covered the cube and linked its Kickstarter offer.[3]

  1. commercial · Sep 8 ’16

  2. commercial · Sep 12 ’16

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Why it worked

Do this

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Origin
Seeded
Sector
Toys & collectibles
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

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