Product Spotlight: Flying Discs!

It’s closing in on the end of summer, and time for back to school. There’s still time, though, for at least one more summer fling.

We’re talking about the best summer fling of all, of course – the flying disc. Or as you probably know it better, the Frisbee. Because that name’s a registered trademark, we’ll call it a flying disc. Trust us, it’s the same idea. Let’s take a flight of fancy and look at the history of these classic summer fun devices.

A Popcorn Tin, and a Cake Pan, Fly High

The idea for the flying disc we know and love today owes its existence to a popcorn tin lid and a cake pan. It all began in 1937 with American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison.

The young inventor and his future wife Lucile tossed a popcorn can lid back and forth after a Thanksgiving Day dinner. While it was a fun pastime, the couple soon discovered that popcorn can lids dented too easily, which rendered them unsuitable for flying. They soon discovered cake pans made more reliable discs and began tossing them instead.

The young couple discovered the market potential for their newfound hobby when they were tossing a cake pan on a beach at Santa Monica, California. When a fellow beachgoer offered to pay a quarter, Morrison saw an opportunity.

"That got the wheels turning," Morrison told the Virginian-Pilot newspaper in 2007. “You’d buy a cake pan for five cents, and if people on the beach were willing to pay a quarter for it, well - there was a business."

An Unplanned Interruption

The couple began selling their “Flying Cake Pan” on the beaches for a quarter apiece. But World War II interrupted their plans.

Morrison served in what was then the Army Air Force in the European theater, and after being shot down, spent several months as a prisoner of war in Germany. When he returned from the war, the idea of the flying cake pan still beckoned.

Post-War Innovation

In 1946, Morrison designed an improved version of the Flying Cake Pan, which he named the Whirlo-Way, after Whirlaway, the legendary racehorse. He and a business partner began manufacturing the new design out of lightweight plastic. Along the way, they renamed the new disc the Flyin-Saucer.

Morrison and his business partner went their separate ways in 1950, and a few years later, Morrison created a revised version of the flying disc he named the Pluto Platter. In 1957, he sold the rights to his creation to the Wham-O, the California-based toy company.

From Pluto to Yale – And a Legend is Born

A few months after Morrison sold the Pluto Platter rights, Wham-O’s executives discovered students at Yale University had been tossing empty pie tins, just like the Morrisons had done with cake pans, for decades. They used pie tins stamped with the name of the Frisbie Pie Company, the supplier of pies to the university.  Thus, the Pluto Platter became the Frisbee.

It's important to note here that every Frisbee is a flying disc toy, but not every flying disc toy is a Frisbee. The name is trademarked.

From Beach Toy to Sport

The next big Frisbee breakthrough came in 1964, when Ed Headrick joined Wham-O as marketing vice president and general manager. He made some changes to the basic design of the disc, refining it to basically the style we know today.

More importantly, he also saw the value in promoting Frisbee tossing as a sport. When the company began marketing the disc that way, including the introduction of a “Professional” model, sales took off.

Headrick soon became the leading proponent of disc golf. In the mid-1970s, he left Wham-O to found the Disc Golf Association. He helped develop the smaller discs and original baskets used in the game.

The discs used in the golf game is somewhat different from the purely recreational Frisbee. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association website the golf disc will travel faster and farther than a standard Frisbee, which can make it more challenging to control. The sport has grown into an international success.

As for Headrick, he had one more contribution to make to the flying disc – himself. When he died in 2002, he was cremated, and per his wishes, his family had his ashes molded into a limited number of memorial flying discs. They were distributed among family and friends.

Today, you’ll find Frisbees flying all over college campuses, beaches, parks and anywhere else kids of all ages gather to have fun. The Frisbee proved so beloved that it was among the first group of toys inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. It joined other iconic toys such as the Teddy Bear, Barbie, Crayola Crayons, Legos and Play-Doh. Each generation rediscovers it all over again, nearly 100 years after its first flight.

Promotional Flying Discs

Flying discs of all kinds make excellent promotional items. They’re inexpensive to produce, offer a large area for a logo or message, and people love them. They’re ideal for promoting outdoor events, restaurants, bars and clubs and more. Campus events and programs for both college and secondary schools also fit well.

Next, consider trade shows, conventions and conferences. If you want a colorful, fun alternative to the usual pens, notepads and trinkets, consider flying discs. They’re memorable, and they offer a perceived value that lesser items lack. It’s something conference attendees will either enjoy themselves or take home to their kids.

If you really want to make an impression, why not combine a flying disc into a complete summer “Beach Fun” package? Include the disc, a tote bag, a tumbler or travel mug and a pair of sunglasses, for example. Every item can be imprinted with your logo. Give them away, raffle them off, offer them as contest prizes or even sell them. You can even give them to employees as a motivational item. It’s a fantastic setup to get your brand out into the world in the summertime in a big way.

Want to learn more about the benefits of branding with flying discs? Give us a call at (800) 423-0449, or email us. For a high-flying promo item, we’re your Number One choice!