A brief overview of what is currently trending on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
#LetEmKnow: Donovan Mitchell has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Watergate: X users are discussing the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity.
Margot Robbie: The award-winning actress turns 34 today.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Gnomes vs. Knights
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What it is: An imaginary, whimsical battle between gnomes and knights has taken over TikTok. The feud stems from TikTok user @crawly_possessed's "gnome wizard" character who went viral for chaoticly running around retail locations and trying to avoid being captured by knights. Dressed in a green robe with a cone-shaped hat and beard, this character quickly inspired a fantasy roleplay trend where users are expected to pick a side in the battle between gnome-hunting knights and the gnomes trying to circumvent capture. The imaginary feud has resulted in a massive amount of content and robust lore not seen on TikTok since dabloons enthralled the platform in 2022.
What brands can learn: Social media trends pop up daily, but it's rare to see a truly world-building trend like Gnomes vs. Knights. Even if it doesn't make sense for a brand to hop in, it's valuable to understand why and how users have developed an entirely fictional plot. That collective motivation is likely rooted in a desire for escapism and community, which brands should aim to tap into when speaking online. Also, unlike most trends that follow a simple copy or visual format, the Gnomes vs. Knights journey is ever-evolving with twists and turns thanks to users' individual and complete ownership of the story. In a time where people want to increasingly reject (sometimes bleak) realities doled out to them daily, brands should aspire to create content that lets fans build their lore — putting them in the driver's seat and creating a heightened investment in the brand's story.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Instagram is testing a new layout for the number of likes, comments and shares under a post 📱
Charli XCX has said goodbye to the iconic 'BRAT' wall 💚
Simone Biles is going to Paris, and her tweet is delightfully memeable 🥇
'Wicked' will now be released on November 22nd 🎥
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