This Family Game Is A Work Of Art That You'll Never Want To Put Away

In a world that often feels more divided than ever, Lynn Herring set out on a mission to help people reconnect through the power of art. Leaving behind her successful career at an advertising firm and her dream home in Woodstock, NY, she persevered to design a game that would bring joy and connection into the lives of others. Her invention, XOX! Share the Love, is a fun and strategic coffee table game that serves as both a challenge and a piece of modern art - a game that might be easy to learn but challenging to master, making it so you can't help but want to play again and again.

Meet Lynn Herring, Creator of XOX! Share the Love

"I have been surrounded by people who have supported me with extraordinary kindness and generosity to help launch XOX! The original idea of making an art piece that brings people together in a positive and loving way has been mirrored back to me time and time again during the entire process of creating XOX! That positive spirit is now living in each one of the XOX! Share the Love games" - Lynn Herring

Lynn Herring's journey is as colorful and inspiring as the game she created. In 2016, she made the life-changing decision to sell her home and leave her prosperous career in advertising to pursue a graduate degree. With a love for sculpting and printmaking, she started with a simple goal: to expand her art practice and explore how it could be used as a tool for healing and connection. Throughout her studies, Herring noticed the growing distance between people in society and was determined to bridge this distance positively. 

Corporate Experience and Graduate School

Before she even embarked on her journey, Herring had already built an impressive career in the advertising world. Her keen eye for design and professional experience as an Advertising Creative Director and Visual Artist all came into play when she began her journey in graduate school.

When she began her graduate studies, she crafted bright, organically shaped wooden Xs and Os, universal symbols that brought a wave of nostalgia over everyone due to their relationship with the Tic Tac Toe game. During this time, she did struggle with doubts, sometimes questioning herself. "Why am I doing this? I gave up my home to make Xs and Os?" Regardless, Herring was committed to her mission and was determined to see it through. She wanted to be sure she could create something to bring people together.

By her second year, she had started to see her vision become something more palpable. It was during this time that XOX! Share the Love evolved from a simple art piece into a high-end board game with a design-forward aesthetic. Her game was a much more strategic take on Tic Tac Toe, one that's easy to learn but challenging to master. She designed it so that up to four players can engage in this colorful game at a time. They each work to earn points until the board is completely filled. Its appeal lies in its dual purpose—it’s not only a game but also a vibrant piece of art that adds a touch of creativity to any living space.

XOX! Share the Love and Toy Creators Academy

"...it isn't a game that sits in the closet or in a drawer. It adds color and is a conversation piece whenever someone comes over and sits down in a family area to chat" - customer review.

Herring’s dedication to creating a game that encourages connection has paid off. XOX! Share the Love® won Best in Market and Best Home Design at the 2022 Winter NY NOW Show. Along the way, she credits the Toy Creators Academy (TCA) for helping her refine her product, ensuring it maintained its beautiful design while making it accessible to a broader market. This was done through the techniques she learned in Toy Creators Academy to get the price of creating her product down, all while keeping the look and essence of the game. To learn more about how you can join the community that helped Herring pitch to major toy companies, click here.