Ever since the 'Yup That Exists' Instagram account was founded in 2014, it has grown into an extremely popular project focusing on equally brilliant and perplexing inventions, odd gadgets, unusual product designs, and intriguing phenomena appearing across the web. And still, many people had absolutely no clue they existed in the first place.
The project has branched out to all the major social media channels and gained a strong foothold on various platforms. For instance, it has amassed over 722k followers on Facebook and 426k devoted fans on Instagram. It has even gained astonishing popularity on TikTok, where more than 572k people eagerly wait for new surprises to grace their feeds.
'Yup That Exists' continues to entertain and teach every design enthusiast by consistently uncovering intriguing products. The creators prove that weirdness sells, especially when paired with interesting tidbits of information, and it wins over the hearts of thousands of internet users.
We've witnessed a million times that the internet is filled with seemingly endless amounts of knowledge and facts that consistently educates and inspires us. In this vast digital world, it’s hard to be aware of every new innovation, and we often miss the brilliant things that exist unless we come across them. So this vivid collection of pictures is meant to remind you that innovation is everywhere, you just have to keep your eyes open.
This social media project also shows that the global marketplace is a packed, noisy sphere. Consumers have plenty to choose from. And the creators, well, they see that competition is fierce. In this sense, designers believe they must craft and build products that stand out to succeed in this chaos.
A brief scroll through this list will prove that designers can achieve their goal and create memorable works of art — even if they stand out like a sore and unappealing thumb. See, some creators get too focused on developing an original end product that form and function become more of an afterthought than a necessary part of the development process.
In theory, design thinking means approaching innovation by drawing from the designer’s toolkit to cater to the client's needs. Design should follow you around even if you’re unaware of it. If it's good, you don’t pay much attention to it. If it’s outstanding— the item will probably become your new favorite item.
To achieve this, it all starts with an idea. Of course, coming up with innovative and meaningful solutions is far from an easy task. But when designers manage to devise the next big thing, the first element to be sure about is what it will offer to your future user.
"You have to answer the questions, why should my idea exist and how is it defined? Then you can start thinking about the identity and the representation of that product", Brian Farrell, founder and creative director of Far Co, a creative studio specializing in digital branding, digital products, and systems, told BBVA Open Innovation. The expert added that throughout the design process, it’s essential not to lose sight of the "heart of the idea". If you believe in the concept to its very core, and your customer will too, that’s a recipe for success.
Once you have outlined your idea, it’s time to take action. One of the most important considerations to keep in mind is that you’re designing something for the end users, not for yourself. "If you can’t fully identify yourself with their needs and challenges, they’re not going to see any value" researcher Ethan Parry added. To do this, we can’t just sit back, we "have to go out into the street and learn from users" by observing and learning from them passively.
Another crucial mistake would be to focus only on aesthetics. "It won’t fix a useless product, however well designed it is — if it doesn’t solve a problem, it won’t be of any use," Parry explained. Then, remember to re-evaluate the situation and adjust it as it changes, and document every bit of your process. "This is of particular importance if you’re an entrepreneur, to have a foundation for the future."
