Link Chains: Week of May 31st 2021 (premium)
Foreword
Sayings and common phrases are back with force this week on TikTok and people are getting creative with them to the fullest. 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 Before and after puberty
382.7k videos on the sound
Everybody seems to have a glow up from their childhood and users on TikTok have had an extremely fun time over the last week showing this off. Creators will take an “ugly” photo of themselves from their childhood and then on beat change it to a really good photo of themselves from the current day to show off just how far they have come.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands can in concept take the exact same approach with this trend and show off how much better their brand is now compared to when they started
#2 I was patient
183.2k videos on the sound
Using this audio to its fullest potential, creators are taking the line “I was patient” from Post Malone’s song Graduation and showing funny scenarios where they had to be patient but triumphed. As well, many creators play into the sarcastic side of TikTok by discussing events that did not require patience but they jokingly felt like it did.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here can possibly show scenarios similar to the first trend where the brand moves from being young and small through patience into its current state.
#3 CapCut 3D photo challenge
80.6k videos on the sound
A new app called CapCut recently released a feature allowing users to take their photos and give them a 3D effect. TikTok creators have absolutely loved the look of it and using a common audio created a trend where users can post their series of 3D photos that look super cool.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands should find brand applicable and fun photos to put into CapCut and make photo series videos exactly like the trend. This will work even better if within the series of photos a story (or at least timeline of events) can be noticed.
#4 Incoming call from…
54.9k videos on the sound
Sampled from Ryzair’s Cortex, this audio of a ringing phone then the line “It’s big CEO are you stupid” first became a meme on TikTok from the hilarity of the music and music video itself. Yet over the past few days, creators have started to utilize the audio with this common format. Users will pose a scenario of the “best of something” or a quality of a specific person/thing which will then appear after the phone calling beat drop.
Examples:
Applicability:
A brand like Chick Fil A could, for example, make a video saying “incoming call from the best chicken and customer service in the world” and then show Chick Fil A stores in images after the phone ringing change-up.
#5 Me walking into the wrong room
15.5k videos on the sound
The next generation play on words joke has appeared, and its delivery method: TikTok. Creators on TikTok have created a funny way to make a play on words or intentionally misinterpret a phrase via the qualifier: “me walking into ___.” Users are finding funny items to use as the object of the joke, and it has overall evolved into a new wave of play on words jokes.
Examples:
Applicability:
A brand here will want to use the company as the place being “walked into” and will utilize a play on words for one of the products/tenets/sayings/etc.
#6 If you say your mom you’re fired
5.7k videos on the sound
Everybody has that one friend that just triggers them off with often funny dumb phrases and this trend is an example of that. Users on TikTok will position scenarios where their friend says something not fitting for that moment alongside the common audio.
Examples:
Applicability:
Brands here can easily play into the sarcasm of TikTok by using whatever catchphrase or common saying aligned with the company as the fill in the blank for “your mom” in the audio.
#7 I’m getting ripped tonight —> something else
not trackable
Being personally Gen-Z, I’m here to translate the meaning of Gen-Z humor to you, the readers. Yet today, not even I can really explain the meaning behind this trend. It’s simply so plain stupid that we find the stupidity entertaining if anything but I would suggest watching the videos yourself to get a better idea. Users have taken the “I’m getting ripped tonight, RIP that p****” audio and cut off the second phrase replacing it with completely random, phrases or references. I again apologize, as even I can’t explain the stupidity of this humor but it is absolutely hitting on TikTok right now.
Examples:
Applicability:
It would work here to use a brand phrase or saying after the initial audio of “I’m getting ripped tonight.”
Trends from last week that keep climbing
#8 In a rush
378.3k 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”
#9 Ok, we admit it… Olivia Rodrigo might be kinda cool
1.2m 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.
BONUS: Oh yeah baby!
User @whiteclawgabe10 on TikTok has blown up over the past few weeks amassing over half a million followers from his very simple format of video. He simply yells his common phrase (described below) alongside whatever menial task he is doing. But be warned before watching his videos, in each of them will be yelling the F-word in addition to “yeah” and “baby” vigorously at the camera. This account is another hilarious example of how completely random, but consistent content can blow up on the platform.
Summary
Sheer stupidity paralleled with unmatched clever whit has highlighted the trends on TikTok this week, showing just how dynamic the humor of this upcoming generation is. As we look forward to June, we can’t wait to see what evolution of content will come next. 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.