A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Cory Booker: The U.S. Senator set the record for the longest Senate floor speech last night in an impassioned 25-hour speech against the current administration’s policies.
Wisconsin: Democratic-backed Susan Crawford wins state Supreme Court seat for the state.
Val Kilmer: The American actor famous for his roles in Top Gun and Batman has died at 65.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
I Don’t Wanna Be Friends (with Brands)
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What It Is: A snippet of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance is trending on TikTok and users are taking the audio 🎶”I don’t wanna be friends, I don’t wanna be friendssss” 🎶 with overlaying text stating their stance on someone. The joke is that the users wouldn’t want to be friends with someone opposing their hot take. Users' opinions vary from political and philosophical to social norms and commentary.
Brand Takeaway: This trend signals how today’s consumers use entertaining and relatable ways to signal their virtues and establish boundaries, which reflects younger consumers’ preference for identity-based consumption. Virtue signaling is a way for creators and brands to define their values for their followers, using internet/cultural shorthand to rally members of a tribe amidst a polarized internet. Consumers are selective with creators and brands they follow on social, and the implied parasocial relationships that fall out of it. Consider the deeper messages and meaning your brand might signal with its content and how larger news stories affect your brand’s reputation–especially as more brands adopt a TOV that implies bestie status with its fans/consumers. And remember, if your brand is misaligned with consumers’ values, they certainly 🎶don’t wanna be your friendddddd.🎶
Examples: 1, 2, 3
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