BITES // 10.07.21 // VIRALITY
Every month we collect six of the best pieces of content published on the web and share them with you because we believe that the most extraordinary thinking is inspired by looking to unexpected places. BITES is a reading list for those who want to bring a little of the outside, in.
1. INFECTIOUS LYRICS
TikTok is a natively music-driven platform, and the music used in content both influences and is influenced by viral phenomena. Viral music trends on TikTok can also completely change artist trajectories. One example of this would be the way Willow Smith completely reinvented herself using the online momentum from her song “Wait A Minute” to start a pop-punk movement with her trending single “transparentsoul” and her new viral collab “Meet Me At Our Spot”. TikTok creators who latched on to the unique style of Willow’s music started a wave of content that launched her powerful comeback. Olivia Rodrigo and her album “Sour” are another great example of music virality this year, as they catapulted to the top of the charts because her debut single “Driver’s License” was also a hit on TikTok. The song set Spotify’s record for most streams in a day for a non-holiday song, with over 17 million global streams. TikTok videos associated with the sound surpassed one billion views in less than a month after the song dropped; and this summer, when the album dropped it debuted at number one. The success of Olivia’s album definitely speaks to the power of virality and shows what an essential promotional tool TikTok has become for music artists. Olivia Rodrigo and her album “Sour” are definitely cemented forever into the mosaic of everything 2021 was, and both are featured in a new Apple iPad commercial that, in the spirit of both TikTok and the album is all about homemade music video content.
2. TELFEEZY
If there’s a bag that really went viral and became a must-have item this year, it’s the Telfar “Shopping Bag” tote. The bag was designed by Liberian American designer Telfar Clemens and first rose to popularity at the very end of 2020 when Oprah included the tote in her annual “favorite things” list. The bag’s popularity sparked when they went viral on TikTok; and if that was a spark, what happened next was a SUPERNOVA because this summer Beyonce was seen sporting one. Telfar bags are unisex and universal as Clemmons strives to use his brand to promote inclusivity and freedom from the gender binary. The bag has been dubbed the “Bushwick Birkin” as it’s grown in popularity and is now lovingly called a “Telfeezy” by many fans after the viral TikTok sound.
3. THE D’AMELIO SHOW
The most followed creator on TikTok, and by far the app’s biggest viral success, Charli D’Amelio just premiered a Hulu show starring her and her family. The reality show follows 17-year-old Charli after her rise to overnight fame on social media for seemingly not doing much. In the last year, Charli and her 19-year-old sister Dixie have lent their talents to countless partnerships and brand deals, made music, done a podcast, and more, turning the almost 200 million followers between them into a lucrative career. But the show also explores the darker side of online virality as it follows the teen sisters through bouts of anxiety and burnout. Charli and Dixie are a prime example of how something as simple as bedroom dance videos going viral, can make a huge cultural impact.
4. SOCIAL MEDIA STARS TAKE THE MET
After a two-year hiatus, the MET Gala officially returned this month, and as usual the names and attire of those in attendance sparked lots of online conversation. There was a lot of online speculation and mixed responses surrounding the MET Gala when in August a fake seating chart leaked and hinted at TikTok stars and online influencers who could be in attendance for the first time. The most common online response to creators like Addison Rae attending was viral outrage. But hindsight is truly 20/20 because of the 7 influencers that actually attended the event, the resounding online acknowledgment has been that most of the group was well dressed and gave the event a necessary refresh. This is the first time social media personalities who have built their brands on viral content have been guests at the MET, and it will be interesting to see who is invited next year and what they bring to the red carpet.
5. BEAUTY PRODUCTS WITH ANCIENT CHINESE ROOTS
Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have been buzzing with one of the most popular beauty products of the summer, but the history of the practice goes way beyond influencer buzz. Gua Sha which translates to “scrape” and “sand” is a Chinese medicinal tool that went viral on social platforms when beauty gurus, influencers like Charli D’Amelio, and celebs like Gweneth Paltrow all mentioned them as part of their beauty routines. The practice has been said to help its users achieve all kinds of things from pain relief and increased circulation to a perfectly chiseled jaw. Aside from all the buzz, a lot of skincare experts have weighed in and recommended people give it a try!
6. WEIRD FOOD COMBINATIONS GO MAINSTREAM
TikTok has become the platform known for not just its massive trend-savvy communities but also for the trends that involve food. The weirdest celebration of a viral food to date has to be the new collaboration between TikTok and P.F. Candle Co. who just came out with candles inspired by TikTok food trends including the “TikTok Feta Pasta” available on the mobile live shopping app, NTWRK. Recipes and food content go viral every day on TikTok, and the platform practice of sharing personal experience has influenced celebrities and influencers to not only share their own weird foods but to also try the viral ones. Singer and songwriter, Lizzo, started a viral food trend on TikTok with “natures cereal”, and Tabitha Brown’s trending vegan recipes helped her get her own sold-out McCormick seasoning.
TAKEAWAY:
Virality has value. It can drive conversation, culture, and thus change. As brands and creators alike clamor to achieve it, it’s important to remember that it’s largely unpredictable. The commonality amongst things that go viral seems to be sparking participation- a reaction, joy, disgust, recreation, or collaboration. As the online landscape continues to change, it will be interesting to see which trends are fleeting viral phenomena and which have a lasting cultural impact on the world. Internet culture is unique and constantly changing, but the most impactful things always seem to be the ones we can share with one another like a dance, a meal, a recipe, or our creativity.
