A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Ukraine: The Russia-Ukraine conflict is at a pivotal moment as President Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are in talks to end the war.
#4Nations: Hockey fans are celebrating after last night’s 4 Nations Face-Off opening game, which resulted in Canada beating Sweden in an overtime win.
Valentine’s Day: Friday is Valentine’s Day but the memes are already here.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Who’s Reheating Nachos?
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What It Is: Another week, another new slang term coined by Gen Z on social — and this time it’s all about… nachos? While the phrasing and usage varies depending on the topic, saying “reheating nachos” these days refers to recreating or imitating previously iconic ideas. The phrase gained popularity over the last couple weeks after a viral post on X used the metaphor of reheating nachos (which is never really a good idea) to imply that Tate McRae’s new song, “Sports Car,” is a poor attempt at imitating Nelly Furtado. Since then, “Reheated nachos” has largely been used by music fans to strike a comparison between new releases and the music of established pop icons, or compare the similarities between artists’ new and old sounds. But the usage keeps evolving and extending to new topics — users on TikTok are using the phrase as captions in repurposed content with new takes.
The Brand Takeaway: Gen Z consistently finds creative ways to express their inner thoughts in relatable ways, and this one is clearly resonating because of its versatility. Brands that have iconic histories, products, or branded content could leverage this trend by giving old content a fresh spin with a nod to “reheated nachos,” or some variation of the phrase, in content or copy. As with all trends, first make sure it feels in line with your brand’s overall tone and persona to ensure authenticity. If so, it can be a way in to using observational humor that resonates with your audience’s interests.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Burger King España collaborated with viral star José Carlos Montoya of La Isla de las Tentaciones (Temptation Island Spain) to promote their Valentine’s Day deals.
Scrub Daddy is mourning the passing of Duolingo’s famed owl, Duo, in the most unhinged way.
The nominees for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are in, with artists like Billy Idol, Mariah Carey, Oasis, and Cyndi Lauper making the cut.
Taylor Lautner will star and executive produce a new scripted series called “Taylor Lautner: Werewolf Hunter,” centered around a fictionalized version of himself hunting werewolves post-Twilight saga.
Cobra Kai Season 6: Part 3 - Netflix, 2/13
Love is Blind Season 8 - Netflix, 2/14
Captain America: Brave New World - Theaters, 2/14
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - Theaters/Peacock, 2/14
Love & Hyperbole - Alessia Cara
Automatic - The Lumineers
Some Sexy Songs 4 U - PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake
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