The Tiddy Bear is a horrible, yet effective play on words that certainly gets this safety product attention.
The Tiddy Bear Comfort Strap is a tiny stuffed teddy bear which slides onto any car seatbelt to make wearing the belt more comfortable.
The infomercial starts with a clip of a woman frustrated with her seatbelt, not really sure where to rest it. It then shows another woman struggling with the awkward band of the car safety belt across her chest.
When the Tiddy Bear is introduced, frustration subsides and the actors, which include busty female passengers and children in the backseat, clearly demonstrate relief.
They could have easily said, Teddy Belt, but there's no way that would have become an effective form of viral marketing, and the video certainly would't have made its way onto sites like BuzzFeed.com.
Suggestive, Yet Innocent Safety Belts
The Tiddy Bear
Trend Themes
1. Comfort-enhancing Car Accessories - The popularity of the Tiddy Bear suggests a trend towards products that improve comfort and convenience in vehicles.
2. Satirical Marketing Strategies - The success of the Tiddy Bear demonstrates a trend towards using humor and irony in advertising to capture attention and create viral marketing campaigns.
3. Product Personalization - The Tiddy Bear taps into a trend where consumers appreciate products that can be customized or adapted to their particular needs or preferences.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Accessories - The automotive accessories industry could capitalize on the trend of comfort-enhancing products like the Tiddy Bear by creating innovative solutions that make car journeys more comfortable and convenient.
2. Advertising and Marketing - The success of the Tiddy Bear's satirical marketing approach indicates an opportunity for the advertising and marketing industry to explore unconventional and humorous strategies to capture consumer attention and generate viral campaigns.
3. Toy and Novelty Items - The popularity of the Tiddy Bear suggests a demand for unique and amusing novelty items, creating an opportunity for the toy industry to create similar products that provide entertainment and practicality.