| In 1997, during Alexandra's doctoral research on infants, she came up with a novel idea. Infancy researchers use the television to conduct studies on how babies learn, and many other cognitive questions, because the television has two properties that babies respond to naturally: light and motion. If this is so, she realized, why not use the television to present information to little ones that is a totally new, stimulating experience for them?
Being an artist, Alex spent day and night learning graphics software programs, and researched the animation industry. With a background in film, television and journalism, as well as business, Scott began working with Alex, developing concepts and a business plan for a 30-minute home video especially for babies and toddlers.
At the time, there were no appropriate videos designed for this age group. Scott and Alex's approach was to incorporate a number of age-specific attributes, such as bright, bold illustrated images; a gentle pace; scenes that progressed naturally without the use of rapid changes or "jump cuts;" specially selected music; and a format that encouraged parent-child interaction. When later that year they launched their first video title, So Smart! Sights & Sounds, parents instantly recognized the value of So Smart!'s unique methodology, and the video became a best seller in this new segment, winning numerous national awards, including Parenting Magazine's Best Video of the Year.
From this, So Smart! has proudly grown into an internationally recognized, award-winning, independent brand, trusted by parents and educators for over a decade. As Alex recently said to Ladies Who Launch on the So Smart! brand, "We wanted the name of the company to represent those 'Ah, ha!' moments between a parent and child. Also, you hear parents saying, 'You're so smart' to praise their child. We wanted our videos to create moments of discovery for small children, so the name So Smart! was perfect for what our business, and brand, were all about."
With a collection of 21 DVD titles as well as books, music and digital programming on both cable and satellite television, So Smart! products inspire 'ah ha!' moments for families around the world. |
