Ditching Snapchat is trending once again after an offensive ad goes viral, the latest Millennial wedding trend is putting a new spin on forever, Toys ‘R’ Us kids are saying good-bye, and more stories going viral this week…
Snapchat Ad Causes Stock Tumble
Ditching Snapchat is trending once again, as a screenshot of an ad on the platform goes viral for making light of the 2009 assault of Rihanna by her then-boyfriend Chris Brown. The ad, screenshotted and posted on Twitter, was created for a “Would You Rather!” game and asked viewers if they rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown. Snapchat apologized, taking down the ad and explaining “it was approved in error,” but the victim in the ad had more to say. In an Instagram Story, Rihanna stated “I’d love to call it ignorance, but I know you ain’t that dumb! You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to [domestic violence] victims and made a joke of it!!!” Others echoed the statement, with many going to Twitter and announcing they’re ditching the app, causing Snapchat stock to decrease by 5% in one day.
The Latest Millennial Wedding Trend
Known for changing up the path down the aisle, Millennials are once again making headlines for putting a new spin on forever. Engagement ring piercings or diamonds placed with a dermal anchor into the wedding finger to create a floating effect are reportedly growing in popularity with Millennials and taking over Instagram feeds. A scan of social media highlights the various types of “rings” newlyweds can get from a simple diamond, to multiple diamonds, or a bar that protrudes from the skin. It’s a more permanent, and apparently a more painful, way to show your commitment but not the first of its kind. Engagement ring tattoos are also reportedly a Millennial-inspired wedding trend that’s taking off, and there may be more to come: according to our recent Weddings Topline Report, close to seven in ten Millennials say it’s important for an engagement ring to be unique.
A Farewell to the Toys ‘R’ Us Kids
Millennials are seeking solace online this week, as news breaks that an iconic brand is shutting their doors: Toys ‘R’ Us. After experiencing “a devastating holiday season,” the toy company was forced to officially file liquidation papers and tell its employees that it would sell or close its more than 700 U.S. stores. Nostalgia-craving Millennials who grew up with the store close to their hearts aren’t taking the announcement so well, going online and posting tweets like “RIP Toys R Us. The end of an era,” “So sad. I was a toys r us kid,” and “A whole generation of ToysRUs kids are crying inside right now. Smh.” And if the news wasn’t upsetting enough, the iconic go-to spot for cheap jewelry and ear piercings, Claire’s, is also closing down.
Drake + Fortnite Inspire Viral Memes
This week we told you how gaming platform Twitch broke records when Drake got on their platform to play Fortnite live—a battle royale-style video game that has exploded in popularity, particularly with teen boys. Esports player Ninja assembled the high-profile group, which also included rapper Travis Scott and NFL player JuJu Smith-Schuster, and their livestreamed session racked up 630,000 concurrent streams, surpassing Twitch’s previous record of 388,000. And now the resulting memes are going just as viral. Viewers are reliving the epic moment combining classic Drake imagery with game elements to rack up the likes. One, parodying Drake’s “Views” album, has generated over 20,000 likes and over 7,000 comments already.
Links We’re Passing
Demi Lovato goes make-up free and generates over a million likes in a video for Vogue, a copywriter’s video resume on his love for Sprite goes viral (and gets him the job), and drag queen Elsa saves the day in Boston, getting her a lot of retweets.
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