LINK Chains: Week of May 24th 2021 (Premium)
Weekly TikTok Trend Identification and Analysis for Businesses
Foreword
TikTok is taking over cultural and this week, we’ve started to see the real world implications that this new platform and distribution of information can have. Whether it be the phenomenon of Adrian’s kickback or the allure of wealth and success, TikTok users have been engaging with content on the platform more than ever. Take a seat and keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times as we explore through the trends that are taking over TikTok this week.
The Trends
#1 Adrian’s Kickback
304.8m views on the hashtag
This week we experienced one of the most wild viral events to ever take place on TikTok. Los Angeles local known as Adrian posted a TikTok advertising a beach party for his birthday. The idea was to hopefully get a few hundred views and have some people show up to have some fun for his birthday. Yet, within a few hours the post took on a life of its own gaining millions of views and the hashtag #adrianskickback grew even more. It seemed as if everybody was posting about Adrian’s kickback and the hashtag ended up gaining 130 million views in the day. Even major brands like Lions Gate got in on the joke by posting videos with hilarious representations of the phenomenon. When it came time for the actual event, thousands of people mobbed pier 13 in Huntington beach causing a massive scene with police helicopters and over 140 people were arrested. A simple joke made out of a random TikTok post became a cultural phenomenon within a day people actually showed up, the question next is simply who will hold the next kickback.
Examples:
Applicability:
Adrian’s kickback is now an event of the past but from the fame Adrian has planned an actual controlled event at a venue for this upcoming weekend so brands looking to hop on the wave might want to reach out to see if they can help sponsor. Mainly though, the optimal window for brands to utilize the trend has passed.
#2 Shhhh I work at the bank
695.3k videos on the sound
The “Shhhh I work at the bank” sound it back this week but with a new spin on the trend format. Previously, the trend was focused on people directly making fun of themselves, yet now it has shifted slightly. Instead users will display a situation of hating perfection (i.e. “I hate people who work at the bank” —> “I hate having a perfect girlfriend”) and then depict themselves holding a gun to the person that is complimenting them. The videos depict it best so we suggest watching an example to get a better idea.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands probably will not want to depict themselves holding a gun to get a good review but it would be hilarious and effective to show off a competitor doing that. For example, Wendy’s could joke about McDonalds having to force good reviews.
Brands here can simply replace the “bank” with their own brand
Brands could shift the format such that it reads, “I love people that work at ___” and insert competitors there.
#3 In a rush
277.5k videos on the sound
TikTok introduced a new filter last week of a queen rushing through Versailles and users have absolutely loved it. The usage of this filter lies in the irony of a person rushing for something important, yet the scenario displayed is not important whatsoever. Creators will use the sound and filter side by side while depicting a funny scenario that they are either rushing towards, or an embarrassing one that they are rushing away from.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here can showcase any funny scenario of an employee or brand representative rushing to complete a small task. Specifically it might be funny for a TikTok brand ambassador to make a video with the premise: “me on my way to show my boss my new TikTok”
#4 Ok, we admit it… Olivia Rodrigo might be kinda cool
569.2k videos on the sound
Every guy loves to act like they don’t like pop music about love and girly topics. Well… except for when it comes to Olivia Rodrigo. The artist behind the hit that took over TikTok a few months ago, “Drivers License”, just released a new album and guys on TikTok are having loads of fun joking about how they are very hardened and masculine, yet the new music from Olivia gets to them.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here could easily joke about “not playing a random TikToker’s music” in their stores, but then show employees jamming out to the song on during a shift.
#5 One of the perils of making money…
2.2k videos on the sound
Everybody loves to flex a little of what they’ve got, but sometimes those subtle flexes are even more fun. This week users in TikTok have started to joke about times when they spend relatively small amounts of money, but still feel like they are balling out. Creators will display the scenario of spending money on screen (i.e. “when I decide to get the 10 count nuggets instead of the 8”) and lip sync to an audio of Drake saying “One of the perils of making money, is that you can afford to be dramatic… Y’all some drama queens for real.”
Examples:
Applicability:
Companies could have a brand representative make a video from their perspective joking about all the dumb things they buy with their paycheck.
Brands could joke as a whole about things they might add to their store because of making so much money (i.e. new ice cream machine etc.)
#6 The definition of we’ve made it
1.4k videos on the sound
Coming from nothing and creating success is one of the most favorable outcomes for people. It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while their is a special person or group of people that through hard work and determination achieves a great deal of success. This trend is one where creators show off celebrities and popular internet personalities that went from 0 to 100, and are thriving today
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here can simply show their own success story. Growing from the startup that every company once was is something that is interesting to understand and aligns well with the trend so it fits perfectly here.
Trends from last week that keep climbing
#7 Misdirection
121.4k videos on the sound
Everybody has their peeves but sometimes others enjoy those annoyances. This trend format acts a fun misdirection for users to show off something that others commonly don’t like about people, which they really value. Users will start off pointing towards the door which alludes to them wanting the defined group of people to leave. Yet this is a misdirection because as the sound continues they usually start slowly rotating towards their bed, alluding to a more intimate liking.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here can use an awesome element of their customer experience to highlight in the video and have a regular person make a video highlighting that element while pointing towards the bed.
Conversely, brands could avoid the misdirection entirely and simply point to the door while text on screen reads about poor quality or other poor practices the company doesn’t tolerate.
#8 Backyardigans are back in the yard again
140.0k videos on the sound
Over the past weeks a song from the popular early 2000’s kids show Backyardigans has surfaced on TikTok and it making waves. The song titled “Castaway” has a beat and flow that resembles a large amount of popular music today and these elements added with the nostalgia that the show provides for Generation Z has catalyzed it to the top of the charts. There currently isn’t any specific trend that aligns with the sound, yet the culture on the platform surrounding it is huge. Producers and artists have been remixing the song and creating mashups which have only added to its cultural relevance.
BONUS: A Cultural Showcase
Over the course of the past few weeks we have delved into the world of TikTok, trying to understand the culture and motivations behind content and users on the platform. One of the large themes that we have seen is that of self deprecation and making fun of others on TikTok. The theme is so prevalent that this week, a super interesting case study has popped up. This account which creates videos entirely based on making fun of people, has absolutely blown up and is thriving on the platform. It’s an interesting thing to see but it seems like poking fun at others is a cultural phenomenon that is here to stay on TikTok.
Summary
The cultural impact of TikTok has started to become more and more clear over the past few days on TikTok. Real world gatherings and the dissemination of information via TikTok has been proven to be extremely effective and people are buying more and more into the platform. These past seven days have been a fun one, but as with all culture right now, the landscape will be wildly different even just next week. Stick along for the ride and we’ll make sure to guide you through the tumultuous world that is culture on TikTok, and how to navigate it even further with your brand.