Vine: Gone in 6 Seconds
How the trendsetting video-sharing platform shaped the future of social media as we know it.
Before there was TikTok or Instagram Reels, there was Vine, a short-form (short-lived) video platform that changed the culture of social media forever. The video hosting service allowed users to create and post 6-second video clips on a loop. Vine shaped video sharing, influencers, and creative content creation… so, how did this app die as quickly as it came?
The Beginning
Vine was founded in 2012 by Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov, and Colin Kroll; before its actual release to the public in January 2013, the company was bought by Twitter for $30 million. The naming of the app is short for the word “vignette,” which is defined as a brief evocative description, account, or episode. The Vine logo, if turned upside down, has a hidden figure “6,” which is the number of seconds of a Vine video. In April 2013, just three months after its initial launch, the app became the most used video-sharing app on the iOS App Store.
Many popular internet personalities, like Lele Pons (who was the first Viner to hit one billion loops), and Logan and Jake Paul (who have since become controversial YouTubers), rose to fame through Vine. Shawn Mendes, a three-time Grammy nominee, also became well-known after posting song covers on the platform.
Vine was essentially known as “Instagram for Video,” paving the way for future social media apps to have rapid-fire updates; it wasn’t long before Instagram introduced its own take on Vine videos in June 2013, allowing 15 seconds of video through the built-in camera, with more editability and filters. In time, Instagram expanded the limit to 60-second videos and ended up introducing IGTV, a long-form video sharing feature on the app.
Vine was the beginning of content creators and going viral. Many saw the 6-second constraint as a creative challenge; “Do it for the Vine” became a well-known expression within the community, urging users to perform entertaining stunts for a Vine video. The app generated countless memes that are still referenced in pop culture today. In September 2013, during ESPN Monday Night Football, Dunkin’ Donuts became the first major company to use a single Vine as a television commercial.
With so much success, what caused the downfall of this trailblazing platform?
The Demise
Because other social media platforms began introducing video-friendly features, Vine stars began taking their talents elsewhere. Advertisers also found it difficult to market products on the app, leaving companies to turn to other platforms like Facebook and Snapchat. Vine was more about staying true to itself rather than adapting to the needs and wants of its users. In June 2016, Vine expanded its 6-second limit to 140 seconds, but it still wasn’t enough to make the app stay. Eventually, Twitter made the decision to discontinue the platform permanently.
Vine left a digital footprint on social media history as we know it; it provided an irreverent side of celebrities, a fresh generation of comedians popularizing a new approach, and pioneered the use of video-sharing platforms, like Triller and TikTok. Vine ultimately transformed the way users consume and create content. Although gone, Vine will never be forgotten.
#RIPVINE.
