This week many things have happened on TikTok and we’re here to keep you updated. True brexit geezers are becoming the new stereotype, users are showing off their w rizz, and the photo slideshow is becoming the next format phenomenon on the platform. As a brand these ongoings may seem odd, if not completely incomprehensible, so join us as we explore how brands can integrate, and gain a grasp about the culture, content, and trends going on in the world of TikTok this week!
Case Study
Over the past few weeks two students at a high school in the US started what they dub as “Sandwich day.” It’s a lunchtime review of their teacher’s lunches, or more specifically, their sandwiches. The setup is podcast-like in nature, with both hosts sitting behind a cafeteria lunch table, and their guest of the week sitting by their side. The commentary is funny and flows effortlessly between the teacher and the students, especially as it has become a bit of a competition for the teachers to have the best sandwich. The teacher will describe their sandwich in detail, while onlookers and fans watch the judging take place. The videos demonstrates how simple yet entertaining series ideas work really well on TikTok to consistently create viral content, and we love the videos that the guys here have put together.
Audio Based Trends
Most trends are based around sounds. What we mean specifically by audio based trends are trends that pertain to specific lyrics or wording within sound. This is when the action or meaning behind the trend is correlated with the lines spoken. These are usually the most prolific of trends on TikTok so let’s dive in.
Day in the life of a true Brexit geezer
16.3k videos across the sounds
I’ve looked deep into this, and I genuinely can’t find the source of this meme, but what I can tell you is that it has a cultural grasp on TikTok right now for no good reason. The audio for this trend is one which describes the lifestyle of a true brexit geezer, showcasing the circumstances and people of his life. From this audio, users have applied it towards other types of people or “geezers”. Essentially a creator will stereotype a person from a specific place or background, with comedic imagery aligning with each of the original circumstances and people. It’s incredibly funny and very much a younger generation meme with a lot of relation value.
Brand application: Brands should be encouraged to take risks with trends like this and here they would want to represent their brand alongside with stereotypes that relate to the customer base or the workers there. It’s a funny self deprecating way that will be rewarded by users for integrating within the niche meme culture.
Examples:
W rizz
57.5k videos on the sound
Over summer we introduced you to the concept of rizz. At that time it was so early that there wasn’t even an urban dictionary definition to the ever so important concept. Yet today it has become ubiquitous within culture and a new phrase has appeared on the table. Popularized by famous Youtube prank star, Jidion, the term “W rizz” refers to having winning rizz, or being extremely suave. He’s used it in videos more in the sarcastic sense whenever he says something super awkward to a girl, and as such it has become a meme on other platforms. With this trend the audio says, “w rizz” and users apply scenarios from their life where people think they are being attractive or seductive, when it’s actually pretty useless. The trend is very sarcastic in nature and hilarious because of the infinite applications.
Brand application: Brands will want to apply this to their sales tactics or things their workers say that is supposed to attract customers. The fact that a company is using the terminology is sarcastic in nature and will fit in perfectly.
Examples:
Interactive Trends
This should be somewhat self explanatory but interactive trends are trends that involve users interacting with others to create videos. Often the hilarity or interest generated by working with loved ones or peers creates incredible laughs or simply fun times. Most importantly though, authenticity shows through with interactive trends as most often they are truly authentic.
Let’s go get food
X videos on the sound
Last week we highlighted the useful and popular new feature of the photo slideshow on TikTok. Creators began utilizing it for storytelling as soon as it hit the platform and this week they have innovated with the concept further. With this trend users are going on an adventure with a close friend or significant other to go get food. It’s a very simple scenario, yet is one that is made very fun by documenting the whole process via funny wide angle photos. Users will add commentary and dialogue to each photo with the text feature and when it’s all said and done in the slideshow, there is a photo series that tells the story of them going to get food. These are very fun and interactive for people to do together and thus the trend has started to take off.
Brand application: Brands here will want to replicate the trend for a lunchtime break at work with their coworkers or if they are a coworker have a pice of UGC where from the user perspective somebody goes to their restaurant.
Examples:
Psych
281.8k videos on the sound
You know the age old prank of trying to give somebody a handshake and then yoinking your hand away only to say “too slow”? Well this phenomenon has basically become a TikTok trend. With this sound users are going up to friends and family members looking as if they are about to give the other a handshake, only to psych them out. Basically they’ll pull back and start doing a little dance that’s comical in nature. It’s a very simple one but fun to do to mess with family so many users have tried it out over this Thanksgiving.
Brand application: Brands will want to have a worker psyching their coworkers out with a replication of this dance format.
Examples:
Simple Format Trends
This section is a little bit of a catch all for trends that are somewhat nonspecific. They happen on a weekly basis, but with these one generally finds that the trend has a simple audio behind it and creators will utilize a text format on screen to showcase a message. Often these trends tend to be based upon a relatability factor where users will talk about an experience from their own life with extremely relatable undertones that other users can get a good self deprecating laugh at.
Disappointment
41.7k videos on the sound
Being thanksgiving week, many users went home to visit family and in their boredom, created many TikToks with them. As one of the funnier self deprecating trends this week, here users are making videos depicting their parents being dramatically disappointed in the decisions they have made. This may be because they brought home another bad significant other, or their grades are not up to par, but these clips of parents trying to act sarcastically disappointed are hilarious.
Brand application: Brands will want to replicate this except with the dynamic of bosses being disappointed for menial mistakes and mess ups that the workers make.
Examples:
Mamiani
496.7k videos on the sound
This trend seems a little random but it’s funny for this same fact along with it looking very silly. In a recent song, artist Cardi B has the line, “I was home with my kid mamiani.” This is a reference to acting like a mother, and that’s exactly what this trend is centered around. Mostly female users are having their significant others or their close friends sit in their arms while they hold them like a mother and lip sync to the song. It’s comical because often it is a very large boyfriend or husband in a much smaller girl’s arms but the effect is funny regardless of the duo.
Brand application: Brands will want to have brand representative or mascots replicate the format of holding one another while lip syncing to the song.
Examples:
Time Capsule - Prior Week Trends Still Growing
I used to be a certified lover girl
314.9k videos on the sound
Keeping in theme with Drake’s new album, many people put together that the titles of albums he has dropped over the last year actually are a secret message. If you put them together, they read, I used to be a “Certified Lover Boy”, but “Honestly Nevermind”, “Her Loss.” Since then, users have turned the whole line into a trend where using a photo series they will show off a photo of them with their ex, and then they will cut to photos of them looking attractive since breaking up with them.
Brand application: Brands will want to replicate this trend if they went through a brand transformation or a breakup with a branch / figure of the brand at one point. For example Papa Johns could replicate this with an initial photo of Papa John, but then cut to photos of delicious pizza and happy people eating it.
Examples:
21 can you do something for me
22.5k videos on the sound
This past week rappers Drake and 21 Savage dropped a collaboration album which has instantly taken over the internet. People have been talking for a while now about how Drake has missed with his last two albums but these voices were made quiet over the weekend. The combination of Drake and 21 seems to have created something special and fans are raving about it. On TikTok, users have made a snippet viral from the first song on the album where Drake is calling at 21, telling him, “21 can you do something for me.” The line is said in an extremely funny way as if Drake was flirting with 21, so users have taken to the Tok to dramatize the situation. Creators will dress up in costumes acting as Drake and 21 showing exaggerated body language and interactions between the pairing. It’s a very comical parody that users are loving on the platform.
Brand application: Brands will want to have brand mascots or representatives replicate the scene but additionally provide a premise that relates to their business. For example because the interaction seems flirtatious in a funny way, so brands could joke about their customers interacting with them in the same way since they are so loyal.
Examples: