Goldgenie
 | |
| Type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Predecessor(s) | Midas Touch International |
| Founded | March 1995 |
| Founder(s) | Laban Roomes |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Area served | Global |
| Key people | James Caan (entrepreneur) |
| Services | Gold plating and customisation |
| Website | www.goldgenie.com |
Goldgenie is a company that specialises in providing customization of household items. The service is primarily used to customize mobile phones, games consoles, and household items with gold, copper, nickel, chrome and platinum plating, solid gold, Swarovski crystals and diamonds. Roses, golfing accessories, cigars and computer mice are also available. Customers order products via the Internet, or send their own items to be customised. The Goldgenie brand does not have any retail outlets but sells selected items via High Street stores including HMV, Apple premium resellers and Selfridges & Co.[citation needed]
Goldgenie sells a number of items as pre-customised units. These include Apple iPods and iPads, as well as mobile phones and video game consoles. A bespoke service is also available via the website. Customers using this service are able to choose designs and materials from pre-set schemes, or design their own. Laser engraving is also offered.
History
Goldgenie was formed from an existing company, Midas Touch International, which was launched in March 1995 by Laban Roomes. Originally, the company focussed on the gold plating of car badges. The change in name was part of a rebranding initiated by James Caan, who invested £60,000 ($100,000) in the company after an appearance on British entrepreneur reality TV show Dragon’s Den in October 2007.[1][2] Subsequent to appearing on Dragon's Den, Goldgenie featured in the follow-up television series, Dragons Den: What Happened Next.[3]
Locality
Goldgenie is a business operating internationally. The brand operates a franchising model of business,[4] with franchises in Africa, Russia, Cyprus, the Channel Islands and Turkey.
Celebrity customisation
Goldgenie has created a number of customised items for celebrities including:
Goldgenie also supplies the UK reality TV show The X Factor with competition prizes.[8]
In the media
Goldgenie has been featured in print media, in part due to its appearance on Dragon's Den and the partial gold plating of Neasden Temple. These print media include OK! magazine, The Sun, The Guardian, Daily Star, FHM and Evening Standard.
Online, Goldgenie is featured in thecoolgadgets.com,[9] insidesuccess.co.uk,[10] hotfrog.co.uk and groupon.co.uk.
References
- ↑ http://www.james-caan.com/james2010/goldgenie.php
- ↑ http://www.james-caan.com/mobile/investments.php?id=4
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00dszd5
- ↑ http://www.businesswings.co.uk/articles/A-golden-business-opportunity
- ↑ "Lamps meltdown". The Sun (London). 30 July 2010.
- ↑ http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/21925/elton-john-blinged-charity-ipods
- ↑ http://www.ubergizmo.com/2010/04/goldgenie-usain-bolt-limited-edition-signature-gold-ipod-touch/
- ↑ http://midastouch.goldgenie.com/tag/x-factor-finale/
- ↑ http://thecoolgadgets.com/goldgenie-gold-plated-signature-ipod-touch-casings-bobby-moore’s-signature
- ↑ http://insidesuccess.co.uk/business/the-gold-genie-laban-roomes-reveals-all/