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.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Viral Merchandise
- Pop culture trends and viral moments are sparking new merchandise opportunities.
- Cult-like Following
- Merchandise and catch phrases from viral moments can result in a cult-like following among consumers.
- Cash From Misfortune
- Small businesses can capitalize on misfortunes, turning them into lucrative merchandise opportunities.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Fashion Apparel
- The fashion apparel industry can create trendy t-shirts and apparel based on viral moments.
- Promotional Products
- The promotional products industry can create merchandise for small businesses and organizations looking to capitalize on viral moments.
- E-commerce
- The e-commerce industry can use viral moments and pop culture trends to create new merchandise opportunities for online retailers.
