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