Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 462,935 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,243 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,972 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,243 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,972 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,215 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 462,935 cutting edge ideas.

Tourism-Boosting Mascots

Fun Characters Created to Augment Regional Development

— May 3, 2009 — World
Local Japanese governments and organizations have recently turned to making mascots to promote regional development. These characters are simpler than the typical mascots you may see at sports games around the world, but they are certainly more efficient.

Named yuru kyara, or “loose characters,” these mascots are becoming popular nationwide, as they serve to advertise events and local culture to traveling tourists.

Although some mascots may seem creepy or ugly, these imperfections are actually making them more popular. The fact that these yuru kyara mascots are poorly designed has proven to be a key element of their charm.
Trend Themes
1. Rise of Regional Mascots - Creating mascots for regional development is a growing trend in Japan, offering opportunities for creative branding and marketing strategies.
2. Simple and Charming Design - The popularity of poorly designed mascots highlights the potential for unconventional aesthetics and unique character appeal in marketing campaigns.
3. Tourism Promotion with Mascots - Using mascots to advertise events and local culture is a trend that effectively attracts traveling tourists, presenting opportunities for cross-industry collaborations.
Industry Implications
1. Tourism - The tourism industry can leverage the rise of regional mascots to enhance destination marketing and create engaging visitor experiences through mascot-themed events and attractions.
2. Advertising and Marketing - Poorly designed mascots present opportunities for advertising and marketing professionals to explore unconventional aesthetics and quirky branding strategies that resonate with target audiences.
3. Arts and Entertainment - The need for mascot design offers artists and designers an avenue for creativity, storytelling, and engagement, as well as potential collaborations with local governments and organizations.
2.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness