Foreword
Drama between peers, the hoes loving this, and Dons day for Eich’s lunch are all highlighting the world of TikTok virality this week. Each trend or occasion is unique and wild in it’s own shape or form. 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!
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.
The hoes gone love this
65.8k videos on the sound
We all have our ways of feeling like we are looking good, but not everyone may agree that we look great. This trend takes the audio of a guy saying, “the hoes gon love this” which infers that the person in the video is doing something that they think will make them look or seem cool, when really the video is a sarcastic representation of how cringey the thing is. For example someone could make a video representing a guy trying to take a photo showing off his muscles in the gym, but the video actually means that action is extremely cringey.
Brand application: Brands will want to highlight deals they have or special brand moments they have with the sound underneath. It is best if a photo of the occasion is taken during the video to align with the camera shutter sound.
Examples:
Haha alright
23.7k videos on the sound
You see, there’s this thing called a line, and only once you cross it will you know if it was a good or bad decision. On TikTok, it seems many users have at times found success crossing the line, and this is trend is a representation of those times. Essentially users will describe a situation in their life where they have tested the waters with something risky, like skydiving, where it ended up being successful or entertaining. The “haha alright” of the sound aligns to when they figure out that the action is actually fun or works out for them.
Brand application: Brands will want to apply this to situations where they have been successful in business, or even discovered their core business model/operation.
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.
Showing people
17.3k videos on the sound
TikTok over the past few months has become more and more social, mostly through users creating videos of interactions between themselves and peers. These clips are interesting social dynamics, funny skits, and drama which will often turn into trends. This week users have aired on the drama side, with a trend that highlights personal takes on rousing interpersonal topics. Users are pairing up with a best friend or significant other, and showing people who fit a certain category to them. For example best friends might show each other someone that they think is attractive, or maybe even someone they regret hooking up with. Significant others might show each other different couples that they think should break up. Regardless, these videos are filled with dramatic topics and the reactions users portray are what drive the hilarity of the trend.
Brand application: Brands will want to “show” between employees, other brands that they think do a poor job with X. Basically using the questions to guide users into thinking about another brand being looked down upon, but not actually saying the other brand. For example Chick Fil A could show on screen, “A company who has trash chicken” with funny reactions around it.
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.
Too stunned to speak
89.1k videos on the sound
If the term speechless could be a trend, this would be it. Users are joking about times when people in their lives have left them jaw dropped, with nothing to say. The format works where the user will setup with situation with the premise (i.e. when my girlfriend sends me a cute snapchat or her) and then follow it with acting like they are lifeless or without words when the beat drops.
Brand application: Brands will want to replicate this sentiment for when the brand has customer interactions or internal moments when everyone is at a loss for words.
Examples:
Vibe Change
10.2k videos on the sound
Song remixes and mashups have been an extremely popular thing on TikTok during it’s existence and this week we may have the starkest contrast in a single mashup of all time. Someone remixed Joji’s extremely sad song, “Glimpse of us” with LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” which seemingly turns depression into a lively time. Users are applying life moments when they turn from sad to happy or low energy to being hyper with the remix. The format is very broad so it has allowed this trend to pick up quite quickly.
Brand application: Brands will want to compare life before customers had their brand to life once they bring their product into the customers life.
Examples:
Best if we go our separate ways
22.3k videos on the sound
For generations (of TikTok eras) there has been the before and after trends that hold the attention of hot people on the platform. Basically these trends involve a before of someone looking less attractive in their past, and on a beat change, switches to photos or videos of them being completely glowed up in the current day. It’s quite simple and this weeks version is no different. Here users are setting up the premise that a significant other told them to go separate ways as their past self, and today they agree because it caused such an improvement.
Brand application: Brands will want to replicate this with a brand glow up.
Examples:
Case Study
Eich’s lunch has been a huge phenomenon on TikTok over the summer months. If you are unfamiliar, a group of coworkers in New York started a game where they jokingly started guessing their coworker, Eich’s, lunch since he became so predictable. After a little bit of time, Eich began making these guesses much harder, and as such the game became more involved. Now today they host a short podcast around every lunch time giving their guesses and rationale behind what Eich is getting for lunch and it has gone viral. Every day users tune into the show and there are certain lines of drama to follow. This week one of the boys, Tony, otherwise known as Tony no dimes, had a legendary pick. For some context Tony guesses that Eich will get McDonalds (Dons) almost every day. He also misses almost every single day, but this week the unthinkable happened, and Tony no dimes, got a dime. He guessed Dons on a day where nobody would’ve expected it and videos of the historic event went viral. Overall though, this group of guys uses the show to help promote their fantasy football media company and generally grow their own social brands. It has been an unbelievably successful strategy and as such this was a hilarious case study that we thought we’d share with you.
Time Capsule - Prior Week Trends Still Growing
Double cup
281.9k videos on the sound
Viral dances are always around TikTok but with the double cup dance this week, it feels like we’re going back to the era of the renegade with the style of this one. No seriously, I don’t know if it’s just the similar movements to the Renegade, but this dance has everyone and their mom (literally) creating videos under the sound. Like most dance trends this is a very simple set of movements and users are having a good time learning the dance and replicating it with their friends or family.
Brand application: Simply replicate with a brand representative or mascot! Preferably two people here.
Examples:
Lil miss
60.1k videos on the sound
Childhood references continue to be a huge lasting trend on TikTok, and this week users have pulled back into prominence the little miss and little mr. characters except with a twist. Users are creating largely generalized stereotypes of people they have interacted with and are applying it to the little characters. One might describe the people they have hooked up with as Little Mr. anger issues, or Little Miss toxic, but there is something extremely funny about these unassuming characters being aligned with not so nice descriptions.
Brand application: Brands will want to apply the little characters to types of workers they have, or customers they deal with.
Examples: