Travelocity Roaming Gnome Stolen
References: media.dailynorthwestern
October 16th, 2007 will go down in history as the day the Travelocity Roaming Gnome was stolen, or "gnomenapped" from Northwestern university. He was visiting the Transportation Center along with company officials to promote air travel and discussion amongst the students. This was not the first time the Roaming Gnome made a visit to Northwestern university and by all accounts he seemed to have enjoyed meeting with students and faculty. There have long been prankster groups indulging in "the liberation of lawn gnomes" who very well may be behind this incident. Others feel that the Roaming Gnome may travel the world and return safely to Travelocity with photos and travel stories from around the world. Only time will tell what happened to the daring and adventurous gnome often seen in Travelocity commercials. Let's hope he just got a case of wanderlust and left on his own, to return to his home at Travelocity after some much needed soul-searching.
Trend Themes
1. Corporate Mascots Are Targets - The trend of corporate mascots being targets for theft or pranking creates opportunities for security and tracking solutions for companies.
2. Brand Awareness Through Stunt Marketing - The trend of using corporate mascots to generate brand awareness through public stunts creates opportunities for companies to differentiate their brand and create viral marketing campaigns.
3. Sentimental Attachment to Corporate Mascots - The trend of consumers having sentimental attachment to corporate mascots creates opportunities for companies to leverage mascots as brand ambassadors and build deeper emotional connections with customers.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising Industry - The advertising industry could benefit from the trend of using corporate mascots as a way to create unique and memorable campaigns for clients.
2. Security Industry - The security industry could benefit from the trend of corporate mascots being targeted for theft or pranking; there are opportunities to develop security and tracking solutions for companies to protect their mascots.
3. Consumer Goods Industry - The consumer goods industry could benefit from the trend of consumers having sentimental attachment to corporate mascots, allowing companies to leverage their mascots as brand ambassadors to build stronger emotional connections with customers.
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