TL;DR
- A meme of BTS’ Kim Taehyung whispering in Olivia Rodrigo’s ear at the Grammys is all over social media
- The @happy.rugs TikTok account is a lesson on how all brands should be approaching their TikTok marketing
- Meme accounts about college campuses are helping students build community
- Goldfish’s Grammys ad is a hit (and kind of a miss) according to Twitter
Social Media Can’t Get Enough of Olivia Rodrigo’s and BTS’ Kim Taehyung’s Intimate Grammy Exchange
We told you Gen Z and Millennials aren’t keeping up with awards shows by watching them live. Instead, they’re keeping up via coverage on social media and memes. Lots and lots of memes. Following the Grammys this past Sunday, Twitter users were quick meme-ify a moment shared between Gen Z favorites Olivia Rodrigo and BTS’ Kim Taehyung (a.k.a. V). In a video that has now gone viral, V is seen whispering in Rodrigo’s ear as her jaw drops in response. Fans have created hundreds of memes out of the footage while coming up with guesses as to what V was actually whispering in Olivia’s ear. The exchange has made its rounds on Instagram and Twitter all week as brands and users alike put their spin on the viral meme, once again proving this is exactly the type of content Gen Z and Millennials care about when it comes to awards shows. Shortly after the intimate moment played out on live TV, Rodrigo made a cameo in BTS’ live “Butter” performance. Not only were fans of the artists screaming over their Grammys collab, which is notable because BTS has previously mentioned wanting to perform with Rodrigo, they were touched by the subtly intimate (and steamy) exchange moments before their performance, making everyone speculate if something more is going on between them.
This TikToker Is Seriously Skilled At Making Custom Tufted Rugs—And Brands Are Tapping Her for Ads
Last summer, the Wall Street Journal reported on the rising popularity of rug making accounts on TikTok, which has become a hobby and full-fledged business for some young creators. Not only have they found community on TikTok thanks to their mesmerizing rug making videos, some have landed brand deals. Madeline Ronzoni, a 22-year-old artist and content creator running the @happy.rugs TikTok account, has built a following of over 600K and has created custom rugs—and video ads—for McDonald’s, Adobe, Nike, and Levi’s. This week, McDonald’s announced it’s selling a Crispy Chicken Sandwich rug (created by Ronzoni) every Sunday in April. Not only is this a fresh angle on selling branded merch, Ronzoni’s TikTok video detailing how she created the rug provides valuable awareness for the brand in a way that’s engaging to young consumers. More examples of brands tapping Ronzoni’s rug making chops: SweeTarts asked for their own custom rug inspired by their colorful candy, while an ad for Nike was (quite literally) made for sneakerheads as it is a direct replica of the brand’s shoe design. Ronzoni has created multiple TikTok videos creating rugs based off of Nike shoes, so it’s safe to say she may be a sneakerhead, too. Meanwhile, ads for Levi’s and Adobe have taken a more creative approach as she shows viewers how to make custom-patched jeans and how Adobe’s creator tools make her life as a “business owner, artist, and creator, easier.” YPulse’s ad / marking effectiveness research shows that young consumers want to be advertised to in a way that feels authentic and not obvious, with entertainment sponsored by brands being the No. 1 type of marketing they want to see. Our New Content Creators trend research offers insight into how brands can tap the pool of talented, young social media creators, and Ronzoni is just one to keep an eye on.
Local Meme Accounts For College Campuses Are Uniting Students
In case you needed a reminder, memes are Gen Z and Millennials’ love language. So when anything remotely comical or interesting happens in the news, pop culture, or young people’s everyday lives, you can count on them to make a meme out of pretty much anything—regardless of how exciting or mundane it may be. Meme accounts on social media are certainly a way they get their everyday meme fix, and hyper local affirmations accounts dedicated to college campuses are racking up thousands of followers while helping students unite in their experiences. These meme accounts follow a similar formula: they bear the names of a specific college / university, they’re anonymously run by a student (or group of students), and share memeable details about their college / experience that the students know all too well (like saying that Duke is an Ivy League school). A handful of college affirmations accounts have built massive followings on Instagram: Richmond Affirmations has 11.5K followers, NYU Affirmations has nearly 9K, St. Pete Affirmations has 5.2K followers, Western WA Affirmations has nearly 4.5K, and Duke Affirmations counts 2.5K followers. These accounts are “communities personified online,” and have become even more notable since the beginning of the pandemic as a way for students to connect in their experiences. As the brain behind the Richmond Affirmations page explains, “[The meme accounts] make people feel seen. We’re afflicted by the same things and we’re consoled by the same things. In a way, it’s processing our shared experience, whether that be upsetting or affirming.” YPules’s Clicking on Community trend research shows 40% of Gen Z say social media acts as a source of guidance / support for them, and for today’s college students, these hyper localized meme accounts are helping them form a sense of community whether they’re attending in-person, online, or remote.
Goldfish’s Grammys Ad Trended on Twitter at #6 Worldwide
In more Grammys news, #GoldfishJingle trended worldwide at #6 on Twitter, beating out mentions of some of the night’s top winners. So, how did that happen exactly? The snack brand debuted multiple ads during Grammys commercial breaks, calling on fans to “hijack” its jingle, “The Snack That Smiles Back,” by writing their own catchy, six-syllable lyrics. The ad garnered mixed responses from Twitter users: many tagged #GoldfishJingle to share their thoughts on the brand’s advertising approach, while others took a moment to wonder how many times they would have to hear the ad throughout the night. And of course, some made some references to the infamous Oscars “slap.” Meanwhile, over on TikTok, the brand called on fans to share their own lyrics in a Duet (this TikToker won that award, in our eyes at least). Goldfish reports that sentiments toward the campaign skewed 74% positive / neutral on Twitter and 85% positive / neutral on TikTok, while generating an increase of 550 followers across social channels. Regardless of how the ad truly performed in the eyes of young consumers, it certainly made some noise on Twitter. Still, take this as an example that running traditional TV commercial ads isn’t ideal for reaching Gen Z and Millennials because they want to be served ads that feel more like entertainment and less like marketing.
Links We’re Passing
Harry Styles’ new single, “As It Was,” set new Spotify records as the most-streamed song in the U.S. in a single day and the most-streamed song globally in a single day in 2022.
Meanwhile, Jack Harlow released a clip of his new single, “First Class,” on TikTok ahead of its release today, quickly making it a top trending song on the platform.
Tickets went on sale for Disney and Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Wednesday, and Fandango reports the film’s sales have outperformed any other film in 2022 within 24 hours of going on sale.
Pizza Eggs is the latest social media food trend.
Young people weren’t happy about James Charles being invited to the Grammys.
Netflix is adding a “Short-Ass Movies” category inspired by Saturday Night Live’s recent “Short-Ass Movies” parody.
Kanye West removed himself from the Coachella lineup, and Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd will replace him.
