Sure, you’ve heard of brochures to boost tourism—but nothing screams, “Visit us!” more than a 7-foot-tall, 3D model of a stuffed clam.
Rhode Island is known for its New England charm, minuscule map size, and (as the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation would argue), the “Stuffie”—the state’s “delicious” delicacy made of chopped mollusk and bread crumbs. So, to encourage tourism, a large-scale sculpture of the shelled snack is popping up in airports across the U.S., complete with an oversized hot sauce bottle and an AR experience that places onlookers in the Ocean State.
This stuffed stunt is relying heavily on curiosity (a major trend in post-COVID travel marketing) with a focus on tech and “wowing” passersby, giving them a chance to experience a place before they even arrive. So far, people seem skeptical of the stuffie, causing a bit of shock on Twitter, with some users not so happy about this clam.
But personally, we are all for crazy out-of-home ads, and who knows? This could just be the clam before the marketing storm!
