Bag of Screams

September 15, 2021

A simple gift idea to help someone release emotional stress and tension, seasoned with a pinch of dark humor to encourage a smile.

Invention idea #03017.1 pulled from my notebooks to share.

Build it for fun & profit.

Explore the interactive blueprint.

Click/Touch & drag to pan, Scroll wheel/pinch to zoom.

Interactive Blueprint

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Overview of the concept:

I didn't mention the "Crowd Edition" (or horrified people in large groups) idea. Essentially a bigger bag with a cluster of people screaming on front with some fun copy and sticker.

"Contains 12x more screams...with a chainsaw running in background!"

You could market it to soccer (or any sport) teams where it contains the opponent's screams (implying they lost). Lot's of room for creativity here. Huge market.

Notes on Bag Label:

As I mentioned, I recommend printing directly on the bag since large sticker labels will not hold nicely on the edges. See Emergency Lunch Repair references for bag, print, packaging suppliers, and more.

I've attached the various heads I drew. (Yes, some were inspired by 80's Heavy Metal Bands.) Perhaps one will be a nice starting point for your design if interested. These high resolution PNGs should print fine, but for the highest fidelity you’ll want to convert them to vector drawings and touch up from there. Search for “PNG to Vector” for online converters that can do that for you.

Starburst stickers are readily available in laser printable sheets which make it inexpensive and simple to produce custom “niche” stickers for the bag. My suggestion is to buy white, matte starburst labels and hire a local print shop (EG: PostNet, FedEx, etc.) to color print them by the sheet. This allows you to change up colors/design on a sticker by sticker basis, and usually runs less than $1.00/sheet (cheaper if doing volume).

I like this sticker by the sheet vendor which also has templates to get you started.
The 1.75” version seem like a good starting size. There are larger/smaller sizes if needed. Don't make them too large or you’ll run into issues with them sticking to the bag.

Some other starburst sticker copy ideas I didn't put on the blueprint:

Bursting with flavor and terror
Low fat
Carbonated
Spicy!

Notes on "Bagging" air:

Here’s a method I played with DIY bagging air as a proof of concept for manufacturing.

Tools:

Sports Ball Air Inflator Needle with Air Hose Gun Adapter (see pic below)
Air Compressor
Impulse Sealer (Note: you may want a sealer that has a wider seal to prevent accidental air leaks.)

1. Lay the bag across the impulse sealer and place the needle on one end inside the bag. Press the sealer down for 2-3 seconds (depends on setting).

2. This creates a heat seal with one end that has a hole from the needle.

3. Attach the needle to the compressor and slowly fill the bag until tight. Pull the needle out and pinch the hole to stop air flow. It's OK to allow some air to escape so the bag isn't too tight when finished. This helps prevent accidental popping and lets the starburst sticker hold better.

4. Lay the bag across the sealer and position it where you want the second seal to plug the air hole. Move your finger a little lower than the sealing position and seal it. Add tear notches using a hole punch or similar.