A brief overview of what is currently trending on on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Harvard: The University confirms president Claudine Gay will remain president, despite calls for her removal.
Pink Friday Tour 2: Barbz are securing tickets to Nicki Minaj’s upcoming tour.
North West: The 10 year old joined her dad on stage last night.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Panera’s Charged Lemonade
What it is: Panera Bread’s Charged Lemonade has allegedly been linked to two deaths, creating rapidly growing discourse online and a dark meme about the product. The lemonade contains 390 mg of caffeine in a large, just under the FDA’s daily recommended caffeine intake of 400 mg. The lemonade has drawn comparisons McDonald’s viral Grimace Shake, from earlier this year which sparked a trend in which Gen Z pretended that the Grimace Shake had killed them. Gen Z pretended that the Grimace Shake killed them, however, considering the caffeine in this product, there is an actual chance of harm."
What brands can learn: Just as many memes before it, “the lemonade that kills you” has turned into a deeply ironic and dark inside joke on X and other social media platforms. While consumers on the internet have chosen to make light of this situation with memes, the seriousness, this doesn’t minimize the seriousness of these allegations or make it okay for brands to play in this space. "A few brands in the quick service restaurant space were quick to jump on the opportunity with one posting "we have [safe] lemonade if anyone was wondering" which was quickly deleted in a matter of hours. This showcases an important lesson that autonomy on social is a privilege and needs to be treated as such. Jumping on daily one-off viral moments still requires strategy and thought to make sure not only is the moment culturally right for your brand, but more importantly, brand safe. Before hitting send, consider the context of the entire situation, how it would impact your audience, and generally consider the bigger picture. It's crucial to remember that when posting in these situations, social media professionals are representing the brands, not their personal interests.
Must-click links that crossed our feeds today
"We’re on TikTok? What’s TikTok?" Drop the power of the platform: Old songs have found new life years & decades after their release while forgotten bands are rediscovering the spotlight.
The creator economy is getting its own Ivy League. Enter, "The Lighthouse."
Remember Snapchat? Well, it has overtaken Instagram in teen usage, according to new polls.
Here’s what everyone was Googling this year. Travis Kelce. “The Last of Us.” OceanGate. “Barbenheimer.” Google Trends revealed some of the most searched trends in 2023.
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