Entertainment

A New Halloween Character Walks Into 'Shark Tank'

by Laura Rosenfeld

Seasonal products are a hard sell on Shark Tank . That's because you can really only make money off of them during certain times of the year, and the Sharks want to be all about the Benjamins 24/7, 365 days of the year. So Godspeed, entrepreneurs behind Switch Witch, who will be featured during Friday night's episode of Shark Tank.

As you can probably guess from the name, the Switch Witch is a product meant to be enjoyed during the Halloween season. But just because people are probably only going to want to buy the Switch Witch in October doesn't mean it can't make a killing that one month out of the year, pun most definitely intended.

Plus, it's not like no seasonal items have been successful on Shark Tank. The Living Christmas Company, the Hanukkah Tree Topper, and TenThirtyOne Productions have all scored deals on Shark Tank. There might just be some hope for the Switch Witch yet.

And at the end of the day, what the entrepreneurs behind Switch With are really hoping is that their product works its magic on you. So, will this Halloween product just be scary, or will it be scary good? Read on and judge for yourself.

The Switch Witch Wants To Be Your New Favorite Halloween Character

Christmas has its Santa Claus, and Easter has its bunny, but Halloween doesn't really have one central figure like the other major holidays of the year. That could all change with Switch Witch, a little stuffed figure of a friendly-looking witch and a storybook that explains what her deal is. Children are supposed to leave some candy with the Switch Witch after a long night of trick-or-treating on Halloween, and in return, "she" gifts them with a treat in the morning. What kid wouldn't be on board with getting more presents during the year?

The Switch Witch Is The Elf On The Shelf Of Halloween

In many of the news reports on the Switch Witch, the character is often compared to The Elf on the Shelf, whose plush figures hang around houses during Christmastime to act as a scout for Santa and report back any bad behavior that he sees to the North Pole. The idea is that the elf literally sits on his perch and looks down on the kids of the household to encourage good behavior during the holidays.

Switch Witch is similar in that having children exchange some of their candy for a gift from the witch is supposed to cut down on the junk food they eat during the holiday and encourage healthy eating habits. This could especially help children with allergies whose parents have to take away some of their candy anyway, co-founder Rob Bouley told Yahoo Health. If Halloween isn't a candy bonanza, it doesn't really feel like Halloween to me, but at least the company's heart is in the right place.

The Company Is A Family Affair

Bouley and his sister-in-law Lara Spear Riley co-founded Switch Witch. Bouley also owns the ice cream shop and mini golf course White Farms Ice Cream in Ipswich, Mass. Riley, who is a former literacy specialist and current stay-at-home mom, wrote the Switch Witch book. Clearly, these two were ready to take on this challenge.

The Illustrations Might Look Familiar To You

Scott Nash, Scott Whitehouse, and Nancy Nash of Nashbox are responsible for the art direction and illustrations found in the colorful and playful book that accompanies every Switch Witch doll. Under the leadership of Scott Nash, this graphic design and creative studio has worked on everything from those iconic orange Nickelodeon logos to a Flat Stanley children's book to Bernie Sanders emojis. Check out the portfolio on Nashbox's website, and you'll quickly realize that Bouley and Riley were lucky to get the company's talents for their book.

You Don't Have To Ride On A Broomstick To Get The Switch Witch

The Original Switch Witch, $19, Amazon

That's because the Switch Witch is where nearly all products are sold these days: Amazon. The product currently retails for $19 on Amazon and comes with a plush toy and storybook in a cute, little box. This product is so kid-friendly, your children will be screaming with joy when they see it, not terror.

It's Not All About Business

Though the Switch Witch may be in its prime during the most sinister time of the year, the company has altruistic intentions. Switch Witch donates a portion of its proceeds to Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to troops deployed overseas, and collects candy for the Halloween Candy Buy Back program, which sends the candy to troops. The company also supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Teal Pumpkin Project, which encourages people to have goodies available on Halloween for children with food allergies and signify that by placing teal pumpkins in front of their homes. And you thought Halloween couldn't get any sweeter.

Images: Michael Desmond/ABC (2); Mark Baylor/Flickr; Giphy (2)