The Ugly Truth

You know, I was thinking lately, I've never really been the "cool kid". That's not to say that I'm not cool, though. What I mean is; I've never been a trend setter. I've always caught on to fads right in the middle of their life cycle. You know what I mean. It’s that span of time right before something becomes overhyped and lame and nobody would be caught dead with it in public. In other words, when your parents start thinking it’s pretty cool.

Anyways, it's this type of person who decides what’s going to be hot or not in popular culture. Whether it's the next great tv show, fashion designer, musician, or restaurant, the "cool kids" are the ones who seem to hear about it first. In many instances, the influence of this group can be so powerful that an entire brand can grow from practially nothing into a thriving business in only a few short years. One example of this was featured recently in a video segment at CNNMoney.com.

Uglydolls are little plush dolls which, aside from being just plain cute, are some of the hottest items in the toy industry. The video explains how the Uglydoll brand has grown considerably without any major marketing initiative. Through the power of mostly word-of-mouth marketing and selective distribution outlets, Uglydolls have been a big success and continue to gain momentum. Make sure you check out the CNN link if you're at all interested in buzz marketing. It's probably one of the only case studies which will make you feel all warm and fuzzy.