Playing on America's previous alcohol prohibition, Senador Volstead launched a deceptive website that hides its true purpose called 'Prohibited Beer.' Upon visiting the site, you are presented with a site that seemingly sells 'Volstead's Teddy Bears.' However, if you resize the window the real website is revealed. A website advertising the beer appears in the place of the previous cute and fluffy teddy bears.
Since Senador Volstead was created during the Prohibition, the campaign strengthens the beer's brand of being forbidden. Just like the hidden backroom speakeasies of the 20s, the website hides the alcohol unless you know the trick. The company goes a step further in emphasizing its storied brand by giving you the option to have the beer hidden in a stuffed animal.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Deceptive E-commerce
- Creating websites that appear to sell unrelated products to mask the sale of prohibited items can be a disruptive innovation opportunity for e-commerce businesses.
- Nostalgic Branding
- Tapping into historical events or cultural references in branding can be a trend for businesses looking to attract consumers with a sense of nostalgia.
- Interactive Web Design
- Incorporating interactive features such as resizing windows to reveal hidden content could be a trend that disrupts traditional web design and user experience.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Alcohol
- Creating unique marketing strategies that leverage past alcohol bans or restrictions can be a disruptive innovation opportunity for liquor companies.
- Toy
- Exploring inventive ways to incorporate technology or themes into traditional toy products could be a trend in the toy industry aimed at appealing to modern consumers.
- Marketing/advertising
- Developing creative marketing campaigns that captivate consumers with unique and unexpected experiences could be a trend for agencies seeking to disrupt traditional advertising methods.
