A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Gators: Florida beat Houston to win the men’s basketball NCAA championship game.
China: China says it will “fight to the end” after Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on them.
Jurassic Park: A Dallas-based company says it has resurrected the dire wolf, an animal that has been extinct for 13,000 years.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Recession Indicator
What It Is: Are we in a recession? Who knows, but there are a few “indicators” making the internet rounds that can’t be ignored. Social media users are flagging the sudden reemergence of trends whose peaks correlated with previous recessions of the 21st century as a lighthearted way to cope with deep economic uncertainty. We’re not crunching numbers here — we’re getting deja vu from circa 2008 after witnessing the resurrection of flash mobs and other dated phenomena. Trying economic times are never easy, but people are using the current situation as an excuse to reminisce on what the vibes of (recent) years past were like. It’s a humorous spin helping to orient where we were and where we are now.
Brand Takeaway: Brands shouldn’t speak to recession themes unless they’re actively minimizing economic strain for consumers. “Recession indicators” has quickly become a running social media joke, but companies should stay away. If anything, it’s important to understand that consumers are quick to embrace humor when times are tough. Offering an entertaining online escape while employing extra economic sensitivity will help brands succeed during this time.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Sabrina Carpenter has joined the Fortnite universe 🎮
Katy Perry is going to space in one week 🚀
The White Lotus fans are naming their dream cast for Season 4 🪷
Billboard has named Nicki Minaj the Best Female Rapper of all-time 🎤
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