A brief overview of what is currently trending on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Ceasefire: President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal was reached between Israel and Hamas.
Biden: Biden also delivered his farewell address on Wednesday evening and included warnings against the rise of oligarchy and online misinformation.
Switch 2: Nintendo dropped a trailer for the highly anticipated Switch 2 gaming console set to release in 2025 that hinted at a new Mario Kart game.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
'Severance' Goes IRL with Grand Central Takeover
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What It Is: Apple TV+ series Severance returns for Season 2 this Friday but New York City commuters were treated to a sneak peek on Tuesday afternoon. The core cast appeared inside a glass office (as seen in the show) in the middle of Grand Central Terminal, portraying their characters in a pop-up experience to the surprise of many. Director and executive producer Ben Stiller was also in attendance, proudly taking photos and videos. Fans were able to get a glimpse at the retro-futuristic tech and various props from the show — even guards watching over the installation were in character, acting as Lumon Industries security and handing out tote bags with Severance memorabilia to create an immersive experience.
Although Apple TV+ has quietly promoted the upcoming season by sending emails to fans from Lumon Industries and collaborating with popular job site ZipRecruiter, the latest stunt, which has since gone viral, is by far the splashiest. Some fans were quick to point out the parallels between the stunt and the show’s message on privacy, identity, and surveillance, leading many to praise Apple TV+ for its tactic.
The Brand Takeaway: Apple TV+ making the effort to bring Lumon Industries into the real world is a great example of a brand delivering a physical experience that actualizes the target audience’s wants and needs. Apple TV+ is notorious for seemingly never promoting their shows — at least to the degree of other streaming competitors like Netflix — and Severance has one of its most vocal fanbases online. The audience is hungry for content after an extended hiatus between seasons, so the pop-up’s attention to detail, inclusion of performance art from the real cast, and commitment to the dystopian nature of the show went beyond the fanbase’s expectations while also grabbing the attention of social media users who may not have seen the show.
While pop-up installations aren’t a new tactic for brands, Apple TV+’s deep understanding of its product’s core themes enabled them to build a unique experience that brought the show to life, engaging fans and casual viewers alike. Brands should consider pop-up experiences to be IRL extensions of their social efforts — they should not only be enticing to those on the ground, but also something that people on social can enjoy from afar. These types of guerrilla marketing tactics can have a big payoff, especially when it’s for something as highly anticipated as the long-awaited second season of a hit show.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
The Daredevil: Born Again trailer finally dropped and fans are hyped.
Drake is suing Universal Music Group for defamation related to the publishing and promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
Mr. Beast is allegedly making an offer to buy TikTok and save it from being banned in the United States.
Gamers and gaming streamers are starting to suspect that Elon Musk may not be the expert gamer he claims to be.
Severance Season 2 - Apple TV+, 1/17
The Hunting Party - NBC, 1/19
Wolf Man - Theaters, 1/17
One of Them Days - Theaters, 1/17
Balloonerism - Mac Miller
nolimit - Knock2
Salvation - Rebecca Black
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