# Presidential Prank Calls President Obama Surprises Virginia Governor on Radio Show By Brian G Randles | Published 2009-12-25 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/presidential-prank-calls References: [scottbeale.org](http://scottbeale.org/post/299046058/barack-obama-prank-calls-colleague-on-radio-show) & [dailymail](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1238218/Barack-Obama-prank-calls-colleague-Tim-Kaine-radio-show.html) One wouldn't think of [presidential](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/presidents-day-packages) prank calls coming from the actual sitting president, but it seems that Mr. Barack Obama got the [holiday season](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/personalized-communication-from-santa) brought on the itch to prank call his colleague Governor of Virginia Tim Kaine. Disguising himself as Barry from Washington D.C., Mr. Obama didn't actually make fun of the governor, but instead thanked him for all his hard work. Check out more pranktastic finds on Trend Hunter below. **Implications** - Consumers enjoy seeing public figures acting in colloquial ways because it humanizes them, making it easier for consumers to empathize with these figures. Corporations may take a similar approach in attracting customers by having publicly accessible figureheads. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 13% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/humor) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Public Figures Acting Human:** Brands can attract customers by creating relatable figureheads. - **Unexpected Behaviors by Authority Figures:** Brands can leverage unexpected behaviors by authority figures to create positive exposure. - **Pranking in Public Life:** Brands can use humor and playful tactics in their marketing to humanize their brand. ### Who This Affects Most - **Politics:** Political campaigns can use humor to appeal to voters in a relatable way. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Marketers can use public figures and unexpected tactics to create engaging and distinctive campaigns. - **Entertainment:** TV shows and movies can incorporate pranking and unexpected humor in their content to create memorable moments and increase viewership. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Fun-Filled Holiday Hotlines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/twistmas-hotline.md) - [Humorous Star-Studded Chip Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/call-of-the-mustaches.md) - [Political Podcast Appearances](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kamala-harris-call-her-daddy.md) - [Viral Political Campaign Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harris-walz.md) - [Dad Joke Candy Hotlines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/laffy-taffy-laff-line.md) - [Work-Ditching Video Game Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-your-boss.md) - [AI-Powered Toy Telephones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/santas-magical-telephone.md) - [Interactive Prank Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scratch-reveal.md) - [Coffee-Themed April Fool's News](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eight-oclock-coffee.md)