Prank-O is a company in Minneapolis, Minnesota that makes gag gift boxes. They come up with funny products like “As Seen on TV” thingamajigs, design a box for it, and then sell the boxes with nothing inside. You’re supposed to put a real gift inside the box and then wrap it nice, for the ultimate gag. For example, Prank-O’s Family Blankeez box advertises a big soft blue blanket that covers up to 8 people (one sleeve on each end), and when not used on the sofa, can cover the family SUV in the garage. The Wake & Bake Dream Griddle alarm clock will remind die-hard Shark Tank fans of the Wake n’ Bacon oven alarm clock (which did not get a deal), and PetTalk, the animal translator collar, is reminiscent of the G.O.A.T. Pet Speaker, the bluetooth speaker added to a collar that can give your pet a “voice”.
The Prank-O boxes (which are made from 100% recyclable cardboard) ship flat and are easy to assemble, and sell for $7 each. The two founders of Prank-O, Arik Nordby and Ryan Walther, pitch their business on Shark Tank on December 2. In a 2015 interview, Nordby, the graphic designer, said it takes “on average 40 hours” to design each box.
New episodes of Shark Tank air Sundays at 9 pm on ABC, right after Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. [Related: 27 Favorite ‘Shark Tank’ Products at Amazon — New List]
[Update: Shark Mark Cuban invested in Prank-O, said it was “brilliant.”]
