The clip of King Juan Carlos of Spain telling Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to shut up is an Internet hit topping viral video charts around the globe, having millions of views in only a week. King Carlos muttered the infamous words , 'Why don't you shut up?', after hearing Hugo Chavez referring to Spain's former prime minister as a fascist.
Somewhat inevitable the very public row has become a phenomenon with the normal t-shirt & mug tat already appearing on the market. However, the hot news is that the ringtone of the comment is estimated to have already been downloaded by 1/2 million people making an estimated £1million. It is reported that many companies selling the ring tone have replaced the king's voice with an actor's to avoid any legal problems over image rights.
King Carlos is being hailed as a hero in Spain for defending the honour of his country. The row showed no sign of dying down with many national papers reporting on the success of the ring tones. The UK's Guardian newspaper reporting that
Rude Royal Ring Tone
King Carlos Telling Chavez to Shut Up
Trend Themes
1. Viral Ringtones - The popularity of the 'Rude Royal Ring Tone' highlights the potential for creating and marketing viral ringtones as a new revenue stream for the mobile industry.
2. Celebrity Soundbites - The trend of using celebrity soundbites in ringtones has the potential to create new licensing and merchandising opportunities for media and entertainment companies.
3. Nationalistic Defense - King Carlos' defense of Spain's honor highlights the potential for nationalistic branding and marketing campaigns in various industries, such as tourism and consumer goods.
Industry Implications
1. Mobile Industry - The popularity of viral ringtones presents an opportunity for mobile companies to create and market new revenue streams through creative and unique ringtones.
2. Media & Entertainment Industry - Using celebrity soundbites in ringtones provides new opportunities for licensing and merchandising in the media and entertainment industries.
3. Tourism & Consumer Goods Industries - The trend of nationalistic defense can be leveraged for branding and marketing campaigns targeted towards the tourism and consumer goods industries.