Goofy merchandise always seems to pop up after a celebrity gossip scandals break. We've all seen t-shirts featuring "Team Aniston", "Feed Lindsay", "Free Suri" and such.
The newest in trendy tees is the "Don't Tase Me, Bro!" design. It references the recent taser attack on a University of Florida student at a John Kerry speaking event.
Implications - The misfortunes of celebrities and average joes caught up in viral videos is usually a good thing for small-time businesses looking to make some cash. Catch phrases from these melt-downs are often imprinted on merchandise such as shirts and cups, creating a cult-like following amongst consumers. What may seem like a mockery of one person's mishap often becomes a money-making scheme.
"Don't Tase Me, Bro!" T- Shirts
"Don't Tase Me, Bro!" T- Shirts
Trend Themes
1. Viral Merchandise - Pop culture trends and viral moments are sparking new merchandise opportunities.
2. Cult-like Following - Merchandise and catch phrases from viral moments can result in a cult-like following among consumers.
3. Cash From Misfortune - Small businesses can capitalize on misfortunes, turning them into lucrative merchandise opportunities.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Apparel - The fashion apparel industry can create trendy t-shirts and apparel based on viral moments.
2. Promotional Products - The promotional products industry can create merchandise for small businesses and organizations looking to capitalize on viral moments.
3. E-commerce - The e-commerce industry can use viral moments and pop culture trends to create new merchandise opportunities for online retailers.