This week many things have happened on TikTok and we’re here to keep you updated. Icks are back and are more juicy than ever, everybody is trying to be Bella Hadid, and academic weapon highlight reels are showcasing college’s upcoming prospects. 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 you have likely been scrolling on your for you page only to hear a very recognizable sound coming from the mouth’s of creators. TikTok released a new voice filter which best described makes your voice sound a little goofy. There are some examples in the icks trend below but the basic reason we wanted to point out this new filter is how TikTok creates unique experiences for its users. This filter is absolutely blowing up right now and most of our for you pages are populated with talking videos exclusively using it. This develops a content style that is only happening on TikTok. If this content were to try to be repurposed or translated over to Instagram Reels or Youtube Shorts users would immediately know that it’s actually a TikTok. This approach to providing creators with unique tools that differentiates content on TikTok from content on other platforms is a huge delineator in the space and is one of the mechanisms keeping TikTok as king of the short form content game.
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.
It would be so awesome
125.1k videos across the sounds
The audio for this trend is very self explanatory as it simply is a voice singing, “it would be so awesome, it would be so cool.” Users are applying this sound to things that they would like to happen in their life. Many of these scenarios are based on relatability but because the reaches of this audio are so wide ranging there are almost infinite different types of things that people want to happen. Because of this the sound it blowing up and people are using it incredibly easily on many videos.
Brand application: This one is very easy for brands as it is once again extremely wide ranging and allows the brand to basically input anything into the categories of wants. For example Chick Fil A could go from a customer perspective and joke about how it would be so awesome if they were open on Sunday’s.
Examples:
Why would I listen to you
98.5k videos across the sounds
Everybody loves to give advice, but not everyone is the best suited to be providing that advice. With this trend, users are joking about times when superiors to them, often parents, gave them advice on a specific subject in life that the superior doesn’t have the best track record with. For example one might joke about a three times divorced mom giving their daughter advice on relationships. These videos are extremely sarcastic and self deprecating in the nature due to how personal they are.
Brand application: Brands will want to joke about competitors here and how they would never listen to them due to trying to go after the same market.
Examples:
My name is Bella Hadid
155.1k videos across the sounds
There have been many trending audios to appear on TikTok from the Kardashian show yet this might be the first that it wasn’t from one of the Kardashian’s or Jenner’s. Bella Hadid starred in a recent episode and her simply saying “I’m Bella Hadid” has gone viral for the context it assumes. Users associate this audio with being skinny, or looking like a model in a sarcastic sense. So one could joke about how they got out of the car in a narrow parking spot, or having to swim in the half width lane. Whatever it may be it is assumed that the creator is joking about being skinny or model-like to an extent.
Brand application: Brands will want to find creative ways to utilize this for example an employee at a chain could joke about sizing down on their uniform.
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.
Icks
Not trackable
If you are unfamiliar with what an ick is, it’s essentially a very menial or small thing that someone does which is considered a turn-off by others. The term has been popularized over the last year with many girls explaining their icks about guys such as using 3 in 1 shampoo, or not being able to compete in sports. Regardless a trend has started to appear on the platform where couples will get together and share their icks about their partners. Effectively it becomes a roast battle but all of the videos are extremely entertaining and are providing a fun activity for couples to participate in around the holidays.
Brand application: Brands can do this with team members within the company specifically regarding work related tasks.
Examples:
Academic weapons
Not trackable
Hopefully we are all familiar with the academic weapon trend, where one man by the name of Brad successfully started making achieving in school cool. Since then Brad has continued his TikTok domination but his influence has started to create other trends. In the past week, students have started creating highlight videos of them achieving in class. Instead of your traditional high school athletic tape which recruits post for colleges, this spoof depicts students answering “here” to roll call at record speeds, and answering questions in math correctly. It’s a hilarious parody that is starting to take the platform by storm and we expect to see more of it with finals week this week.
Brand application: Brands here won’t have much room for integration unless they are an academically focused brand that can replicate the video style in class.
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.
Boat trip
1.1m videos across the sounds
There’s a new filter on TikTok seen below which depicts users sitting in boat headed towards a dock. It’s almost imagery out of the Great Gatsby but here in TikTok it is being sued very liberally. Users will preface with the phrase, “me on my way back to…” and finish with a joke about something they would go do for a very dumb reason. For example someone in college might joke about being on their way back to see their ex over winter break. The tone of the videos usually means that the person won’t actually go and do the thing that they say in the video.
Brand application: Brands will want to joke about having aggressively good customer service, for example Dominos could be on their way to bring a customer an extra ranch after they never asked for it in the first place.
Examples:
Stunned
20.1k videos across the sounds
This trend is as if there was a sarcastic spin on the phrase “they were too stunned to speak.” Users will provide a preface in text of a situation from their life where someone is left speechless or unable to comprehend what they are doing. Effectively it’s a sound to apply towards the moments in life when things just don’t seem right for a sarcastic reason.
Brand application: Brands can apply this to any times with the brand when there are hiccups or moments that leave the team in a moment of pause.
Examples:
Time Capsule - Prior Week Trends Still Growing
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:
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: