A brief overview of what is currently trending on on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Iowa: Trump dominated the Iowa caucuses on Monday, taking his first step to his third straight GOP presidential nomination.
Jason Kelce: The Philadelphia Eagles star center is reportedly retiring from football.
Snow: Winter weather is affecting several parts of the United States.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Josh
What it is: The internet has found its latest obsession: Josh wine. The $9 bottle of wine started going viral on X after this original post told people to put down the Stella and Barefoot and pick up the good stuff (the Josh). In addition to memes about the quality of Josh, people are obsessed with the wine brand's human name. Who is Josh? Why would they name their brand Josh? Who am I when I'm with Josh? This trending protagonist written in fancy script may seem confusing at first, but it's ultimately just a light-hearted collective joke.
What brands can learn: Josh wine is a popular product, but users poking fun at its branding is what has brought it to the forefront of the internet over the past ten days. It's pretty funny that someone sells bottles of wine that say "Josh" on them, and it's a reminder that people love to be surprised by simple, silly stuff when they scroll through their feeds. Similarly, brands that can be self-deprecating about peculiar pieces of their own identities are likely to win with fans on social if they approach this humor in a way that's thoughtful, not too forced and genuinely entertaining.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Must-click links that crossed our feeds today
Elton John has achieved EGOT status 🏆
Ariana Grande's seventh album will be titled 'Eternal Sunshine' ☀️
Lactaid is having a moment 🐮
Here are all the winners from the 2024 Emmys 📺
Want to subscribe? Reach out to culturetaskforce@substack.com.