Australian artist Erwin Wurm recently had an exhibit titled, "Instructions on How to Be Politically Incorrect." The centerpiece of the show is a video about an animated "Fat Car" which has its own monologue.
Like a chubby little kid, the car exudes a certain cuteness that makes it seem irresistible. It's obviously more art than function, but that just makes it all the more noteworthy.
Implications - By directly making reference to subject matter that is considered taboo within society, many marketing campaigns appear humorous and up-to-date. Businesses that can find ways to address unspoken topics within their marketing campaigns and product promotions can further access opportunities to appeal to consumer's humorous sides.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Taboo Marketing
- Marketing campaigns that addresses unspoken topics and taboos within society to appeal to consumers' humorous sides.
- Art-inspired Products
- Products that take inspiration from art to add an element of novelty and interest to regular items.
- Cute Functionality
- Designs that prioritize cuteness over function for a product or service.
Where This Applies
- Automotive
- The automotive industry can explore creating non-functional vehicles for artistic purposes to market to a niche audience.
- Advertising
- The advertising industry can incorporate taboo humor in marketing campaigns to make them more effective.
- Design
- The design industry can create unique, cute, and functional products that have an artistic inspiration for a creative and niche market.
