OSAGE, IA--
It's not everyday the national spotlight shines on Osage, Iowa. “I mean it’s exciting, it's just little small town Iowa and look what we are,” said Pam Engels, an employee at Fox River in Osage, IA. “It was pretty exciting, I mean local celebrity our sock monkey,” said Jessica Daniels, of the Fox River company. “It was a big deal for Fox River so we were pretty proud of it.”The proud makers of the famous foot coverings say traffic on their website increased over night. “It’s definitely an American classic, I mean its one of the favorites,” said Daniels. “I mean it’s always been busy with the Sock Monkey but it’s definitely improved or we saw more traffic.”
Even faithful fans of the phalangeal accessories found the 60 second spot worth Facebooking about. “Well I just wrote on there that you know to all my friends that to watch for the commercial during the Super Bowl,” said Christine Carrison, another Fox River employee.
Carrison's history with the Sock Monkey goes way back. She's spent 25 years with Fox River, and played with the toy as a child. “When I was a little girl my grandma made one and it was at her house,” she said.
So for her and others, finding out their socks would be shown during a Super Bowl slot, was sort of exciting. “[I] think it was very nice and kind of interesting, I mean you know were just a little bitty town,” she said.
Fox River doesn't actually make the Sock Monkey toy. They make the socks, which come with instructions on how to sew your own.
But they also work with two manufacturers to sell completed monkeys on their website.
Fox River is planning on having monkeys just like the one in Sunday's ad available on their website sometime soon.
