A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Joy Reid: MSNBC has announced an overhaul to its primetime lineup, including canceling Joy Reid's evening news show.
Macron: X users are examining the dynamic between French President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump in a live TV conversation about Ukraine.
Roberta Flack: The iconic, Grammy Award-winning singer known for hits like “Killing Me Softly with His Song” has passed away at 88.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
“You’re So Quiet”
What It Is: TikTok users are pairing Avril Lavigne’s 2011 hit song “What the Hell” with an image of themselves and a snarky response to the statement “You’re so quiet.” This trend embodies a defiant, chaotic spirit that is not concerned with keeping up appearances. In fact, the trend seems to be resonating because it feels like taking an internal dialogue and blasting it for everyone to hear. Users are replying with whatever quip comes to mind (e.g., “I don’t like you”), even if it hurts the other person’s feelings. It’s a bit of a variation on the recent “you’re so funny” trend that similarly hinges on brutal, funny honesty that everyone can relate to at times.
Brand Takeaway: The emotional ecosystem on social media has been steadily moving to a place that’s much more concerned with honesty than appearing put together. It’s a landscape that’s so much freer of inhibitions than it was at its inception, and brands need to recognize where users’ collective heads are currently at. If your brand was attending a party, for example, where people were connecting over a shared emotion, and you glossed over that…it’d be a bit off-putting. Especially if what you contribute next feels self-centered or like a blatant commercial to advertise something. It’s a vibe that brands need to be able to thoughtfully navigate online, and taking a moment to come from a human place will help deliver your message in a way that makes others feel seen.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
“Im the most nostalgic remote…” are you? 📺
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will take the Oscars stage this Sunday for a live performance 🎤
Remember the viral Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience? That was one year ago 🍫
You can kiss a hundred boysenbär 🪴
Want to subscribe? Reach out to culturetaskforce@substack.com.