A brief overview of what is currently trending on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Cedar Point: The amusement park announced its new roller coaster coming in 2025, Siren’s Curse, will be the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in North America.
Metallica: The band has confirmed that its record-breaking M72 World Tour will be extended into a third year.
4 in PA: Kamala Harris is +4 points in PA, but tied nationally with Trump, and X users have a lot of opinions on the matter.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Moo Deng Madness
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What It Is: Moo Deng is a baby pygmy hippopotamus at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in eastern Thailand who has captured the hearts of thousands on the internet this week with her chubby cuteness, pink cheeks, and adorable expressions (that often look like she’s screaming.) Moo Deng translates to “bouncy pig” and that she is — her signature flops and bounces have brought her fame both online and IRL, with her zoo now drawing in so many new visitors that they’ve had to limit Moo Deng viewings to 5 minutes per visit. In just a few days, Moo Deng has transcended your typical viral animal video moment to become a lifestyle icon — inspiring advertisements for brands like Sephora Thailand, and new memes are popping up everyday.
The Brand Takeaway: Baby animals are always quick to captivate the internet’s attention, but this lovable hippo is a special case. Social users have developed an emotional connection to Moo Deng, making her image in a meme or ad simply irresistible. It’s even scientifically proven — when we see infantile features, no matter the species, “we interpret that as helplessness and as dependency, and it motivates us to care for them.” So while it might seem silly, the internet’s love for this baby hippo creates a sense of caring and ultimately community as people get to collectively follow Moo Deng’s rise to fame — something people clearly needed right now.
The world can be chaotic and filled with divided opinions, especially with the quickly approaching US election bringing stress and heightened political commentary on social daily. Amid that division, certain corners of the internet can serve as an escape and bring people together in unique ways. Moo Deng’s popularity suggests that people are looking for lighthearted content right now to distract them from the news and harsh realities of today. For brands looking to get in on the fun, consider jumping in the comments or getting even more playful (see examples below) and lean into the relatability of needing something cute among the chaos of daily life in the feeds.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Dancing With The Stars is the talk of social thanks to Olympic stars Ilona Maher and Pommel Horse Stephen bringing top-notch BTS content to TikTok.
Ziwe put Anna Delvey in the hot seat and asked her the hard hitting questions about scamming the rich.
The creators of The Sims have confirmed a movie adaptation of the popular video game is in the works.
This man met Harry Styles and their interaction is as wholesome as it gets.
The Matrix 25th Anniversary - 9.19, theaters
Bagman - 9.20, theaters
And Mrs. - 9.20, theaters
All Shall Be Well - 9.20, theaters
Mixtape Pluto - Future
143 - Katy Perry
HIGH - Keith Urban
Flow Critical Lucidity - Thurston Moore
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