A brief overview of what is currently trending on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Raiders: Football fans are reacting to the Atlanta Falcons’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.
USPS: Donald Trump says his next administration is looking into the possibility of privatizing the U.S. Postal Service.
Electoral College: Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to abolish the Electoral College and elect the president by popular vote.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Mastermind
What It Is: Taylor Swift’s historic Eras Tour has officially ended, and one of its lasting legacies is a fan-fueled mobile game called Mastermind. The game, which a Swiftie launched in August 2023, allowed fans to predict various elements of upcoming shows and earn points for each correct guess. As each show progressed, fans would flood social media to brag about correctly guessing which colors Swift would wear during the 1989 set or lament lost points after failing to predict which of the megastar’s hundreds of songs she would play during the Surprise Songs set. Think fantasy football for Swifties – with a matching (or even more fervent) passion for being the mastermind who could nail each prediction on the same night. Much like how Swift dominated pop culture during the Eras Tour, Mastermind dominated Swifties’ pre-show rituals and gave fans all over the world, attending in-person and watching virtually, a way to feel emotionally connected.
Brand Takeaway: Beyond daily posting to social media, brands should seek out opportunities for gamified fan participation. Just as Swifties watching on grainy live streams each night felt immersed in the Eras Tour experience, brands asking for fans’ input in a repeatable format might lead to a hyper-engaged community. It doesn’t have to revolve around predictions, either. A large part of Swift’s brand includes planting easter eggs and hidden details for her legion of fans (and she literally has a song called “Mastermind”), but brands should define a piece of their own identity that motivates fans. Finding exactly what makes them tick, and playing with ways to put them in the driver’s seat, will motivate fans and make them feel more emotionally invested in your brand.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Wicked Part 2 is officially titled ‘Wicked: For Good’ 💚🩷
Nicole Kidman does not know what Pop Crave is, and she is once again a meme 🎤
‘The White Lotus’ returns February 16 on Max, and a teaser for season 3 has been released 🪷
SZA will release the deluxe edition of ‘SOS’ this Friday 🌊
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