Foreword
WWIII has started over whether there are more doors or wheels in the world, users continue to incorporate heavy sarcasm and self deprecation in the majority of their content, and drama is being stirred more than ever with the trends. This past week on TikTok users are beginning to be more interactive between videos alongside all of the new trend formats but as we move into next week there is no telling how this might adapt. Join us as we explore through the trends and popular culture that surround the app every week, and how you can utilize it to best engage with your audience.
The Trends
#1 I’m just thinking with my…
240.3k videos on the sound
Sometimes we think with our head, sometimes we think with our heart, and sometimes we think with… well… you know what. Users have taken this audio on TikTok which depicts someone “just thinking with my d*ck” and they have applied it to times in their life when they have made a decision, whether poor or not, based on amorous motivations. All logic flys out the window under this type of thinking and the scenarios it has yielded, as told through TikTok, are hilarious. Check out examples down below for a better idea of what actions TikTok users are taking when they think with their…
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to associate a brand action or decision with this style of non-rational thinking. The action/decision should be related to aesthetics or relationships if possible to emphasize the nature of the trend.
#2 No no no
242.6k videos on the sound
This trend is if the phrase “not so fast” were to be a format. The trending sound depicts a person frantically trying to shut down another from revealing something that embarrasses them. Often this other person is bringing up weak moments or times when the user was not at their peak. Creators will place the scenario in a text format for the video while the audio plays in the background. Embarrassing times are endless and thus so is this trend, with hilarious self deprecating stories popping up left and right.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to portray poor brand moments and times when they struggled as a company, yet moved forward.
For example Pepsi could reference their Kendall Jenner commercial from a few years ago which got horrible feedback.
#3 Trying to figure out…
195.4k videos on the sound
TikTok has released another new filter this week which has taken over as its own massive trend. The filter places users’ faces floating through space alongside random math symbols to create an aura of confusion and questioning. The joke is that it makes the creator look as if they have no idea what is going on. Users have taken this and positioned it against very relatable dilemmas that people face and have a hard time figuring out. The trend once again comes off as self deprecating and because it is so easy to create, tons of users are hopping on.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to place workplace dilemmas into the same format users are working with in the examples.
#4 I’m a finesser, a slick talker
34.6k videos on the sound
Under the rampant rush of sarcasm which floods TikTok, this trend has opened up an opportunity for users to joke about times when they thought they were being smooth with a significant other, but in all reality they were probably not. Users will mainly portray lines they use to flirt with others or common situations they’ll intentionally place themselves in to flirt better. These are often self deprecating with awkward dialogue or positioning but the proof is in the pudding so check out the examples below for a better look.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to portray their advertisements / ad team as the finesser. Specifically highlighting clever marketing strategies and positioning is perfect.
#5 Crazy
55.4k videos on the sound
We all have those slightly crazy tendencies or things we have done and while we may want to keep those on the down low, many TikTok users have started to show off theirs via this trend. Yet again we run into platform users being self deprecating to a level that we don’t often see on other social medias but because of the authenticity of TikTok, it’s very socially acceptable. Creators are portraying often embarrassing scenarios when they went too far to get what they wanted, but where they ended up succeeding.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to reference brand moments when they went out of their way to either help customers, or go after another brand.
#6 Stare all day
20.6k videos on the sound
Couples trends are always cute on TikTok but this one takes the cake for being so wholesome. This one started from guys posting videos with photos of their girlfriends that they can stare at for hours. Essentially they would pick their favorite photos of their significant other and put it on this sound. The result has been very sweet videos with a very simple format that allows many users to hop on to showing off those who they love. Just wait though, as wholesomeness turns into sarcasm very quickly on TikTok and sarcastic renditions of this trend are likely imminent.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to position their product as the photo they could stare at all day
If brands want to be more aggressive here they can actually start the sarcastic nature of the trend by showing off those they dislike (competitors)
Trends from last week that keep climbing
#1 Wheels vs doors
Un-trackable but everywhere on TikTok last and this week
Questions like the chicken or the egg have been debated since the dawn of time but in the recent TikTok era, users have shifted to a new quandary. Creators and viewers are wondering across the platform, whether or not there are more doors or wheels in the world. It’s an interesting question because immediately one thinks about all the cities and skyscrapers that have doors but then they remember that those buildings have rolling office chairs and hot wheels produced 4 billion toy cars in the last few years. There really is no telling what the right answer is but users on the platform have found every way to argue about it nonetheless and the content we are getting from it has never been better.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to buy into the debate on one side or another, and if the brand can somehow incorporate the doors or wheels used in their workplace that’s even better.
#2 Hidden person
1.0m videos on the sound
This new trend has been a fun way for creators to reveal peers in their videos. Users will present a situation which either should or shouldn’t involve another person, and as the beat shifts, they slowly reveal the friend or peer that was or wasn’t supposed to be there. Essentially there are devious undertones to the reveal as most of the time the person that is revealed causes drama to some extent. Whether they weren’t invited or they’re the wingman that’s going to help the main make plays, you never know until you check out some of the videos down below.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to reveal brand reps, mascots, managers, or other applicable people depending on the scenario.
For example one brand could joke from an employee perspective, when a customer asks to get the manager and the employee would use the sound to reveal the manager in the same format.
#3 Knife in chest
328.4k videos on the sound
I often have to figure out how to describe certain trends without the slang that surrounds the topics, however for this one we are going to lean into its underlying theme of being “down bad.” Essentially users are showing times in their life when they have been wronged or hurt by another person; whether sarcastically or not. From their users will depict themselves shoving a fake knife into their chest and taking it out, in alignment with the sound. The effect of being stabbed is the effect of being hurt in the worst way and TikTok creators are revealing their tough moments. Et tu Brute, Et tu TikTok.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands will want to use this format to joke about brand moments when they were either wronged by another brand, or another brand was able to steal some of their business/market share.