Twitter went nuts on Monday when a video advertisement for a product called Trumpy Bear went live on Fox News.
“A storm is coming,” an ominous voiceover starts, over a background of dark clouds and lightning. An image of a grizzly bear roars forth.
“I am the Storm,” the voiceover continues, with text to match.
For those of you not in the know, Trumpy Bear is a real plush stuffed toy that’s for sale through Exceptional Products, Inc., which manufactures products for sale on television.
The Trumpy Bear was “born” June 14, Flag Day (which is also Trump’s birthday), but it’s just now getting the attention it deserves. After the ad aired, Twitter couldn’t get enough of it.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1061965651470925825
Everyone, please help us welcome Trumpy Bear to #AvenueQ as the newest Bad Idea Bear! #TrumpyBear #Trump pic.twitter.com/jtlbqJaDBy
— Avenue Q (@avenueqmusical) November 12, 2018
Yes, it's real. No, we don't know why.https://t.co/kV9FtG2hsl
— snopes.com (@snopes) November 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/status/1062012780008497152
Trumpy Bear is the perfect stocking stuffer.
— Jeff Dwoskin Has A Podcast (@bigmacher) November 12, 2018
I bought the deluxe version that comes with payoff money to keep Barbie quiet. pic.twitter.com/1zV1ClqhCy
Even the NRA’s Dana Loesch wasn’t impressed.
This is an actual product?https://t.co/DgfLwv5CyWhttps://t.co/wY6ZcwRoAA
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) November 12, 2018
But conservative talking head Ben Shapiro called it “marketing genius”:
I mean COME ON https://t.co/OJ3UxsSuhI
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 12, 2018
The ad features a parade of Trump’s perceived core demographic—small business owners, police officers, firefighters, and veterans (or actors playing these roles)—praising Trumpy Bear.
“When I ride with Trumpy Bear, it makes my golf game great again. Thanks, Trumpy Bear!”
”When I go on patrol, I’m rolling with Trumpy Bear.”
“I’m a small business owner, and business is great again! Thank you, Trumpy Bear!”
The stuffed animal comes with yellow hair and eyebrows, just like the president. It also has a compartment in the back that contains an American flag-themed blanket, which Trump (most likely) does not have.
The toy seems to be a take on the Teddy bear, named after President Theodore Roosevelt for his refusal to kill a black bear during a hunting trip.
The Daily Dot reached out to Exceptional Products, Inc., for comment on the advertisement, but did not receive a response by press time.
Although it may just be a coincidence, the advertisement mentions “the Storm,” directly echoing the language of the QAnon conspiracy theory, a uniquely Trumpian conspiracy theory.
And much like the way Trump can alight the internet again and again, this is not the first time Trumpy Bear went viral.
It was first noticed by Twitter back in July.