Want mail from a stranger? Not spam, but a real letter or a nice surprise? While we can't promise the letter you receive will be nice, Igotanenvelope is a project that encourages people to leave empty, self-addressed, stamped envelopes in public places. The hope is that they will be picked up by strangers who will add a letter of some kind or small trinket and send it back to you.
The back of the envelope reads:
Dear finder, put something personal inside the envelope and then return it to me. Be as original and artistic as possible and the content will be submitted to igotanenvelope.blogspot.com.
2. Write your address and put a valid stamp on the envelope.
3. Leave the envelope in a public place and wait for its return.
We've seen a similar concept recently with PhotoChaining which involves leaving cheap camera memory cards in public spaces with the hope someone will pick them up and upload them to a community site.
Clearly this fascination with connecting with strangers speaks to our growing need to feel integrated with society. It seems to be becoming more difficult to meet people in 'real life' and since most people are afraid of being rejected when approaching a stranger, these casual, guerrilla social bonding projects ensure people who are clearly open to meeting new people.
Check out a few more examples of guerrilla social bonding below.
Guerrilla Social Bonding
IGotAnEnvelope Encourages You To Send and Receive Strangers' Letters
Trend Themes
1. Guerrilla Social Bonding - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop platforms or services that facilitate creative and personal interactions between strangers for enhanced social connection.
2. Community-based Collaborative Projects - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create online platforms or apps that enable individuals to participate in collaborative projects with strangers to foster a sense of community and connection.
3. Offline Networking Experiences - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design immersive offline experiences or events that encourage spontaneous and meaningful interactions between individuals who want to meet new people.
Industry Implications
1. Social Networking Platforms - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate features or develop new platforms that facilitate unconventional ways for people to interact and connect online.
2. Sharing Economy - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build sharing platforms or apps that enable individuals to exchange items, experiences, or opportunities with strangers, fostering trust and social bonding.
3. Event Management and Experiential Marketing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create event experiences that combine networking, entertainment, and personal interactions in unique settings to encourage connections between attendees.