A 3D Printed Snuffleupagus
Snuffy is now available to download from the MakerBot Digital Store
When the MakerBot Digital Store was announced at International CES 2014, one did wonder whether, as cute and cool as they me be, the in-house creations like Around Town or Chunky Trains would be enough of a pull for the consumer to pay for models. Perhaps not, but what it did is set a precedent and the announcement of an official partnership with one of the greatest Children’s brands on the globe sees the Digital Store suddenly all make sense.
Sesame Street and Jim Henson's characters have captured the hearts of children and adults alike since 1969. Big Bird and co. are also big business, they were at the centre of a huge political debate about US public funding for the show in 2011, because of the amount of money toys and licensing agreements pulled in, estimated to be over $50million a year.
It comes as no surprise that the forward thinking Sesame Workshop have teamed up with MakerBot industries as their first foray into 3D Printing. They’ve started with everybody’s favourite woolly mammoth Mr Snuffleupagus, or as he is known to his friends. Snuffy.
You can pay $1.29 for the digital file of Snuffy, which will print on a Replicator 2 and fifth gen Replicator. You can print the file as many times as you like, once you’ve paid for the digital download it is yours to do as you please.
MakerBot say more of your favourite Sesame Street Characters are coming soon, and to celebrate their brand new collaboration MakerBot will be hiding Snuffy figurines throughout the Bay Area Maker Faire this weekend. If you find one take it to the MakerBot stand to have a #SnuffySelfie underneath an 8-foot 3D printed replica of the famous Sesame Street Lamppost and you could be in with a chance of winning a Replicator 2.
“We are really proud to launch our first branded and licensed 3D printed products for the MakerBot Digital Store and MakerBot Retail Stores with Sesame Street,” noted Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. “Sesame Street has always been near and dear to my heart. I used to work for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and I grew up watching Sesame Street. Having the ability to 3D print a beloved character – or soon, an entire set of cherished characters -- will be really fun and educational. 3D printing is like having an engineering education in a box, but with Sesame Street, it has a playful and familiar twist.”
